How to Kill Wasps, Hornets & Yellowjackets

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.

Wasps vs Yellow Jackets vs Hornets

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

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.

Yellow Jackets

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.

Hornets

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 Wasp Nests

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 

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.

Hornet Nests 

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.

What To Do If You Find a Wasp, Hornet or Yellow Jacket Nest

Disturbing a nest is dangerous business, so wait until you've taken the steps in the next section before you attack. If you have a known sensitivity, you should avoid tackling this problem and ask a family member, good friend or professional to kill the insects and dispose of the nest for you. If you have children or pets, keep them far from the nest. Some wasps will become aggressive even if the disturbance is many feet away from their nest. If you suspect that the nest is on a neighbor's property, alert them so they can take steps to remove it.

Be especially careful after big storms such as hurricanes. The wind and flooding from powerful storms can destroy nests, displacing thousands of wasps, hornets and yellow jackets from their hives. Homeless and in search of shelter, these stinging insects will be looking for new places to live right when post-storm clean-up may be happening, so wear protective clothing and gloves and stay aware, especially when removing debris.

How to Get Rid of Wasp, Yellow Jacket and Hornet Nests

If you want to get rid of pesky wasps around your home, the best way to kill them is from the nest. The best wasp killer varies depending on the location of the nest, above ground or underground. Going on the offensive against a wasp, yellow jacket or hornet nest is serious business, so caution is key. Take these steps to protect yourself from a sting:

• Wait until dawn or dusk to deal with a nest and its occupants. This is when yellow jackets, hornets and wasps are the least active and most concentrated in the nest.
• Wear long sleeves, long pants and gloves to protect your body. If you have one available, consider wearing a mask to protect your face.
• If possible, recruit a friend, family member or neighbor so you're not tackling a nest on your own. In the event you are swarmed or have a severe reaction to a sting, they can call for help. 

To get rid of nests above ground:

• Kill wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets in above-ground nests with Ortho® Home Defense® Hornet & Wasp Killer7, following all label directions. The jet spray reaches 20 feet above the ground, and the foaming spray traps stinging pests in their nest. 
• Keep in mind that you should not spray on a windy day, and you should not stand directly underneath the nest in case it falls.
• Leave the nest alone for 24 hours. 
• Return the following day and check to see if there is any activity. If you see active wasps, hornets or yellow jackets, you'll want to spray a second time. 
• Once you are confident that the nest is inactive, use a long stick to dislodge it from its location and dispose of it in an outside trash receptacle. Continuous removal of wasp nests will reduce the likelihood of wasps returning to the area to overwinter or rebuild.

To get rid of underground nests:

• Use Ortho® Bugclear™ Insect Killer For Lawns & Landscapes Concentrate, following all label directions. This bug killer can be applied using a tank sprayer or with the Ortho® Dial N Spray® Hose End Sprayer to kill on contact and keep stinging insects from coming back to their nest for 6 months. 
• Watch the nest location for further signs of activity. If necessary, make a second application after 7 days to gardens, or 4-6 weeks to lawns.
• Once you're sure the nest is inactive, dig up the nest and dispose of it in an outside trash receptacle. Be sure to wear gloves and use appropriate tools for excavation. (Sometimes, it's best to go ahead and call in a pro for this job.)

Tips for Wasp, Yellow Jacket and Hornet Prevention

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

Inspect 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.

Remove easy food sources.

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!