It’s officially summer and along with it comes beach parties, barbeques, and lounging by the pool. While we celebrate the season with picnics at the park, one thing is inevitable. There will be wasps ready to join us while we celebrate the season.
Even our homes are not immune from wasp season. In fact, it is very common to find a wasp nest on the wall, roof, or eaves of a house. The tricky part is determining what type of wasp nest it is.
In San Diego, there are three types of wasp nests that we come across often. The Paper Wasp, The Mud Dauber Wasp, and the Yellowjacket.
A closeup on a wasp nest
#1 – The most common type of wasp nest we encounter in the field is the Paper Wasp. These wasps tend to be a burnt orange color with amber bands. The nest is usually umbrella shaped and flat with a honeycomb design. the nest ofter appears to be made out of a newspaper type material that ranges in color from greyish white color to dark grey. Common places we find paper wasps nest are on tile roofs, walls, and under eaves.
An interesting mud dauber nest
#2 – The second most common type of wasp nest we encounter is the Mud Dauber Wasp. These wasps are the least aggressive wasp that we encounter in the field. The nest of the mud dauber is very distinctive. Often they look like dark brown clumps of mud. The nest can sometimes look cylindrical or round, and often have holes which act as cells for the wasp eggs.
#3 – The third most common type of wasp nest we encounter is the Yellowjacket nest. Yellowjackets are much more aggressive than both the paper wasp and mud daubers. These are the wasps our technicians dread! They often attack just for approaching or getting too close to their nest. When in the ground, the nest is flat, grey, and circular in appearance. Above ground the nest is often dome shaped and appears to be made of a paper or grey fibrous type material.
So what should you do if you find a wasp nest at your house? Unless you have the proper protection and knowledge, don’t try to remove it yourself. When it comes to wasp removal we recommend our customers heed the advise of the quote below:
“Do not kill a single wasp; for then a hundred will come to its funeral.”~ Russian Proverb
So now that you know the three most common wasps we encounter here in San Diego, it’s time for something wild. Check out this crazy video of a yellow jacket nest that was neglected for far too long. Throne of pain indeed!
I see mud daubers more than anything where I live but occasionally I’ll see some Yellow Jackets. I would have to move if I every found a nest as big as the one in that video. That was scary.
OMG, i can’t believe that hive. They are horrible, when I was a kid we accidentally stepped on a hive and the stings are beyond belief. Feels like somebody hitting you with a hammer 🙁
Yup, here in Encinitas I see a ton of Mud Daubers, actually found a bunch of nests in my attic. Grrrr. At least according to my research they are the least aggressive of the three most commonly found ones here.
I’m glad to hear the mud daubers are the least aggressive type of wasp. They are the kind that I see most around my house. Their hives, in my opinion, are also harder to remove. What do you normally use to get the residue off houses?
The type I see around the house in Ramona are Mid Daubers. But 2nd are black with yellow stripes & bodies shaped like mid dauber, not the hornets I’m used to & not aggressive, either. Any idea on their name?
Without a photo it’s hard to identify. You could try downloading an insect identification app on your smartphone. Or if all else fails, take a photo and show to your local pest control company in Ramona.