Paper Wasps are often called umbrella wasps because of the shape of their nests that hang under our rooflines. They are not very aggressive and they normally will not sting unless they are stepped on or handled. They are semi-social creatures that live in small colonies, and they usually make their nests under the eaves of houses or tree branches. Paper wasps can be easily identified by their slender bodies and distinctive black, yellow, and brown coloring. While they can be beneficial in gardens because they help to control other insect populations, their stings can be painful and even dangerous for those who are allergic.

Mud Dauber Wasps are apart of the Pepsid wasp family. They are often considered to be quite beneficial because they help to control nesting spiders. Since they hunt spiders, they are very common in our communities. An adult female will actively seek out spider webs and begin to stroke the web to lure the spider out for a meal. Unknowingly, the spider becomes the meal for the larval wasps. Mud Daubers construct a series of small mud tubes on the wall of your porch or under the overhang to hold the paralyzed spiders that she catches. She lays her eggs in these same tubes. The larvae hatch and eat their first spider meal! Then they emerge as adult wasps. These wasps are not aggressive and the nests can be scraped down with a putty knife or a spatula, but the mud stain cannot be totally erased.

Tarantula Hawks, another Pepsid wasp, are a very large solitary wasp known for their unique black and orange coloring and their infamous sting! Their sting is one of the most painful in the insect world! They primarily prey on tarantulas, paralyzing them with their venomous sting before laying an egg on the spider’s body. The wasp larva then feeds on the living tarantula until it pupates and eventually emerges as an adult wasp. Despite their intimidating appearance and painful sting, tarantula hawks are generally not aggressive towards humans unless provoked, and they are considered to be beneficial to ecosystems due to their role in controlling spider populations.

Cicada Killers are a species of large solitary wasps that can be recognized by their distinctive black and yellow coloring and their ability to capture and kill cicadas. They prey on cicadas by using their powerful mandibles to bite through the exoskeleton and inject venom that paralyzes the cicada. The female cicada killer then carries the cicada back to her underground nest where she lays an egg on the paralyzed cicada before sealing her offspring inside. Once the larva hatches, it feeds on the living cicada until it pupates and eventually emerges as an adult wasp. Cicada Killers, much like Tarantula Hawks, are generally not aggressive towards humans and can be beneficial in controlling cicada populations, but they can occasionally cause damage to turfgrass by burrowing into the soil.