Wasp Nest Identification

Dealing with wasps is no one’s idea of a good time. Metro Vancouver is home to several different species of wasps, and many of them are perfectly capable of quickly ruining your day. 

Social wasps will defend their nests and don’t hesitate to sting anyone who gets too close. Sometimes, they will even sting in defence of a food source, which brings them into conflict with humans who are eating outside or enjoying a picnic on a summer’s day.

If you find a wasp nest on your property, you’re going to need to deal with it as soon as possible. We don’t recommend dealing with wasps yourself. The easiest and safest way to do that is to give a professional wasp control expert a call. Wasp nest removal services can be surprisingly affordable, so there’s no need to risk your health when a professional can easily take care of your problem safely.

Different Types of Wasp Nests

It’s the social wasps you have to worry about when it comes to wasp nests, because they are the ones that will defend their nests by stinging. Social wasps in Vancouver fall into three different species, so let’s take a look at each one individually.

Yellowjackets

what to look for
build domes of paper enclosing the cells, kind of tan in color with a single entrance hole at the bottom.

Yellowjackets, identifiable by their striking yellow and black color scheme, are some of the most common wasps in the Vancouver area. Like most wasps, they prey on other insects, but will also eat plants, fruit, and just about anything else they can find.

The difficulty with identifying nests is that they are usually concealed. Mostly found underground, inside of wall voids, & tree stumps, etc. Common visible nests that we find are under eaves. (Like the picture above)

Yellowjackets build their nests out of paper, which they make by chewing the bark of trees or untreated structural wood, then regurgitating it to add to the nest. They build a new nest every season, which begins in spring or early summer and starts off around the size of a golf ball. This small nest will contain anything from 30 to 50 cells, and the Queen will lay an egg in each cell. The larvae develop inside the cells until they emerge as a full-grown wasp.

Throughout summer, if left untreated, the wasp nest will get bigger and bigger. A mature yellow jacket nest can have thousands of cells, and thousands of wasps willing to defend it. These nests can be the size of a basketball or even bigger. :0

Yellowjackets build a paper envelope around the cells of the nest to protect it from the weather. However, sometimes, yellowjackets will also build a nest in a sheltered location. This could be inside a tree stump, under a woodpile, or even inside an attic. When that happens, you may not be able to find the nest itself, and will only see wasps emerging from a hole that gives them access to the nest.

Have a look inside of a yellowjacket nest

It’s very important that you don’t try to block the hole and seal the wasps inside, as this will only create more problems. If you have wasps emerging from and reentering a hole in your house, you should call Wasp Nest removal company immediately.

Here is an awesome shot. A Lone Queen yellowjacket wasp and the beginnings of a new colony

Another cool example of a classic yellowjacket nest we just found this summer

See related: Learn about Wasps in BC

Paper wasps

what to look for
Usually hangs downward and has open cells on the bottom.

Paper wasps (or umbrella wasps) closely resemble yellowjackets, with the same black and yellow colour scheme and a similar size of around 10 to 16 mm in length. They get their name from the papery material that they used to build their nests out of, just like yellowjackets do. 

However, where they differ from their cousins is that they don’t enclose their nests in a paper envelope, but leave the cells open. Because of this, they need to build nests in sheltered areas. Under the eaves of the house, in a porch, or under a deck are common places to find a paper wasp nest.

Paper wasps aren’t as social as Yellowjackets, and so their nests remain smaller. They rarely get past 200 to 250 cells, and they don’t reuse old nests from one season to the next. Though less aggressive than yellowjackets, paper wasps will defend their nest if they feel it’s under attack.

Another cool shot taken by our fearless Adam this year

Also read: 9 unique places Westside technicians have found wasp nests

Bald Faced Hornets

What to look for:
construct their nests in the classic “football” shape usually in exposed locations and enclose it in a gray, paper envelope. Nests can be found in trees or large bushes, but also under roof overhangs. 

Bald Faced Hornets aren’t actually hornets at all, but members of the wasp family. However, they look quite different from other species of wasps in Vancouver. These bugs are much bigger than regular wasps, at 15 to 20 millimeters long. They are mostly black, with a white face that gives them their name (bald in this instance meeting white, just as it does for bald eagles!) 

Bald faced hornets build nests from paper just like other wasps do. Typically, they will build nests in trees, but may also build them in sheds, crawlspaces, and under the eaves of houses. They almost always construct their nests in exposed locations and enclose it in a paper envelope. These nests can get very big, reaching up to 60 cm or more in length and 35 cm in diameter.

Just like other species of wasps, bald faced hornets will aggressively defend their nest if they think it’s under attack. These wasps can deliver a painful sting, and will swarm an attacker to deliver numerous stings. This makes them dangerous, especially for anyone who may be allergic to their venom.

Looking for more Wasps nest? Check out this killer article by Ohio State Uni

Wasp Nest Removal in Vancouver

Taking on an active wasp nest is not for the faint of heart. Even the small nests of paper wasps can be a challenge to deal with, since the wasps will aggressively defend their home. When you’re talking about yellowjackets and bald faced hornets, the danger is even greater, because you’ll be dealing with far more of these angry insects. 

If you find a wasp nest on your property, the best thing to do is call the wasp control specialists at Westside Pest Control. We have the equipment and the skills to deal with wasp nests quickly and safely, giving you a summer without a sting in its tail.

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