Three Big Wasps for Summer
There are many types of wasps. Some of them are very aggressive, such as yellowjackets. Others are very solitary, and while they look menacing, they rarely bother you. The big difference is solitary vs. social. Social insects include bees, wasps, ants, and termites. If you tangle with a social insect, all of their friends come to help. That’s because they use pheromones to communicate. Solitary wasps, on the other hand, are just that – a single insect doing its job. Most of the time, when you see a solitary wasp, such as a mud dauber or even a spider wasp, it is a female hunting for food to feed its unhatched young. They are not aggressive unless you bug them, but their sting is by far more painful than a social wasp.
Cicada Killers
These are big wasps. They nest in the ground and are solitary wasps. They tend to nest in colonies but are not social. They are a significant pest in summer as their burrowing can damage lawns and landscaping. They hunt and kill cicadas – those annoying buzzing insects that drone on all summer long.
Bald-Faced Hornets
Hornets are very social and aggressive. They are likely to come to see what you are eating and maybe help themselves to some of your food. They are very similar to yellowjackets but perhaps a little bolder and easier to anger. These are wasps that tend to sting first and ask questions later. If you kill one, it will continue to release the aggregation pheromone that attracts its sisters. So, even though it is dead, it may have revenge.
Pompilidae – The Spider Wasps
Pompilidae range in size. Solitary Wasps are very specific hunters that takedown spiders. The largest, if you should ever see one, hunts tarantulas. Imagine a wasp capable of disabling a tarantula spider. Thankfully, these are solitary wasps. While not aggressive like a yellowjacket, their sting will cause grown men to roll on the ground and cry. They are one of the most painfully stinging insects around. They are generally around 2-inches long and have bright orange wings. They land and flick those wings to attract spiders. The color is a warning. Do Not Mess With Them.
Learn more about wasp control by giving us a call. We provide safe and affordable pest control solutions throughout Bryan and College Station.
