How to Get Rid of Wasps, Yellowjackets and Hornets

Flying pests that buzz in your ear are bad enough, but those that deliver a mean sting take it to a whole new level. To combat wasps, yellow jackets and hornets, it's helpful to know how to tell them apart, and how to identify their different nests. Once you've got that down, you're on your way to getting rid of wasps, yellow jackets and hornets around your home.

Technically, yellow jackets and hornets are types of wasps. First things first: don't confuse a wasp with a bee! The key difference is the abdomen: wasps have a thin, cylindrical abdomen while the abdomen of a bee is round. On closer examination, bees appear fuzzy, wasps bodies appear smooth, shiny and hairless. Lastly, bees build waxy nests, while wasps build nests from mud or a paperlike material made from their saliva and wood pulp.

Paper wasps, the insect most people think of when they hear "wasp," can be easily identified from the others thanks to their long, slender bodies—most adults are about 1 inch long. Depending on the species of paper wasp, they can appear black and yellow, dark brown, or reddish-brown and yellow. Black and yellow paper wasps are often mistaken for yellow jackets, but take note of their skinny waist and long legs to tell them apart.

Arguably the most recognizable stinging insect on this list, yellow jackets are easily identifiable by their small size and signature black and yellow bodies. They have skinnier bodies than bees but are thicker than paper wasps. With workers being about ½ inch in length, yellow jackets are shorter than hornets and paper wasps. Yellow jacket queens are approximately 25% longer than workers.

When it comes to food, yellow jackets are scavengers that prey on other insects, but they're also notorious for crashing picnics and barbecues to feast on sugary foods and meats.

Some species of hornets share the same color appearance as yellow jackets, but others can have a brown or reddish-brown appearance. The European hornet, for example, has a reddish-brown thorax and legs with a striped yellow abdomen.

If you encounter a black and yellow hornet, you can tell it apart from a yellow jacket by its size. Hornets range from 1-2 inches long—nearly 2-3 times larger than yellow jackets. Even though hornets are the largest stinging insect on this list, they are not aggressive.

Paper wasps prefer to build their nests in exposed areas above ground. The nests are constructed from a paper-like material that wasps create by chewing wood. You can identify a paper wasp nest by its unique shape and combs.

Queens build nests that are connected to a structure with a single stalk at the top and continue building downward in an upside-down dome shape. This is why their nests commonly look like an upside-down umbrella. Unlike yellow jacket and hornet nests, paper wasp nests have exposed hexagonal combs. These combs are where paper wasp larvae develop.

Yellow jacket nests can be found above or below ground. To build underground, they'll take advantage of any holes in your lawn or take over an abandoned rodent burrow. Above ground, they'll create nests in garages, sheds and gaps inside walls. If yellow jackets can't find a burrow or entry point to a building, they'll also settle for low-hanging tree branches or shrubs.

Yellow jacket nests are wrapped in a paper-like material and commonly have a spherical shape that can reach the size of a basketball or larger. Mature nests can house upwards of 4,000 yellow jackets.

Hornets coat their nests in a papery material, but they prefer to build them in natural cavities like rotting tree stumps or within the cavities of buildings. It is common to find hornet nests under the eaves of homes, in treetops, or even underground burrows. Most above-ground hornet nests will have an upside-down teardrop shape with a single entrance near the bottom. If hornets can find an entry point, then you may also find them inside your garage, shed or attic rafters.

There are several things you can do to help prevent wasps, yellow jackets and hornets from returning to your property:

Do a thorough inspection of your home's exterior, garage, and any other structures (like sheds) for signs of wear. By inspecting your property in early spring, you can address any problems before wasps become most active in warmer months. Holes, broken siding and crevices can be inviting to many wasp species. If you see holes in your front or backyard, be sure to fill them in with dirt to prevent underground nesting. Look for old cardboard, wood and other cellulose-containing materials and discard when possible. Wasps can use these materials for nest construction.

Wasps, hornets and yellow jackets love an easy meal. To prevent them from creating hives near your house, make sure food scraps are disposed of in sealed plastic bags and trash can lids are closed.

If you have fruit trees on your property, it's good to move fallen fruit away from where people might gather. A warm, rotting apple or pear on the ground is practically a magnet for yellow jackets.

Now that you understand the differences between wasps, hornets and yellow jackets and how to kill them, you're ready to keep your space free of these stinging pests. Just remember to use caution when you go on the offensive—you don't want to be the victim of a vicious sting!