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When the weather starts to warm up in the South, it won’t be long before wasps and other stinging insects are out in full force. Everyone knows bees are friendly, but these other pests can make it difficult to enjoy the beautiful outdoors. Knowing which type has invaded your property will make it easier to deal with them—from avoidance to removal. Here are some common wasps seen throughout the region. 

Which Types of Wasps Are Common in Alabama?

1. Bald-Faced Hornets

Hornets are a type of wasp but are usually bigger than their relatives. The bald-faced hornet, prevalent in the South, has distinct white markings on its face and body. They commonly build their grey, egg-shaped nests—made out of paper scraps and saliva—under building eaves or in trees. The queen will lay eggs in the spring and summer, resulting in a territorial colony of up to 400 hornets that will sting when provoked.

2. Yellow Jackets

waspsThese black-and-yellow-striped wasps, which closely resemble the size and coloring of bees, are known for being very aggressive and will sting repeatedly if they feel their territory is being encroached upon. Queens will build their wood-fiber nests in trees, soil cavities, or inside the walls of man-made structures in late spring or early summer. Her initial brood will consist of 30 to 50 cells, but she will continue laying eggs until her death in the fall. Colony populations can reach 10,000 to 20,000 by this point.

Yellow jackets are among the most problematic because their nests are so large as well as being harder to spot. Additionally, they seek out human staples such as meats and sweets more frequently than other species.

3. Red Wasps 

Another aggressive specimen is the red paper wasp. This 1- to 2-inch-long insect has a red body, black wings, and sometimes brown stripes across the abdomen. They are social insects and live in colonies. Females usually have triangular faces and are the ones that do all of the stinging. Their nests are constructed of chewed wood fibers and plant materials and tend to be some of the largest in the Hymenoptera order. 

4. Mud Wasps

Unlike many other types, the mud wasp works alone and not in a colony. They get their name from the nests the females build out of mud and sculpt with their mandibles. These nests are often found under porches, inside cave entrances, and on the walls beneath building overhangs. Each cell is designed to house an individual egg and the prey—usually spiders—left as nourishment before its builder closes it up and moves on to building a new one. Besides their architectural prowess, you can spot them by their bright metallic coloring and narrow waists.  

You might be hoping for a silver lining in this list, so you’ll be happy to hear that the mud wasp—often called a “dirt dauber” or “mud dauber”—is not aggressive regarding its nests and very rarely stings people.

 

Don’t let wasps and hornets take over your property. Contact the experts at Tabor Pest Control in Dothan, AL, for situation-specific solutions. Since 1958, this family-owned company has provided residential and commercial pest and termite services to Southeast Alabama and Southwest Georgia. After effectively removing an infestation, they’ll provide you with preventive measures to ensure it doesn’t happen again in the future. Call them today at (877) 448-2267 for a free quote or visit their website to learn more about their services. 

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