The Wasp

a wasp on a green leaf


Wasp infestations can cause real trouble to people and removing them is not a simple process. Unlike some other insects, one cannot use do-it-yourself methods to eradicate a wasp infestation. These infestations may take place either outdoors or indoors. 

Whatever the case may be, however big the infestation may be, you will need professional help to deal with these insects. All pest control companies have efficient tools that help them take care of these wasps.

The first step in dealing with a wasp infestation is identification. Let us understand the various aspects of the appearance of a wasp.


Appearance and Behavior

Wasps differ from bees in appearance only because wasps are hairless, which is not the case with bees. Their body can be studied by dividing them into three parts. The first part of their body happens to be their head which is followed by the thorax and the abdomen. 

If you carefully look at the space between the abdomen and the thorax, you will notice a structure like a tiny waist. This structure is called constricted petiole and is the joining link between the two body parts.

The wasps have six legs located on the thorax along with two pairs of wings that facilitate flight. Their head also resembles other insects and constitutes a mouth, compound eyes, segmented antennae, and sensory organs.

Several species of wasps walk this planet, and each one of them is of a different color. Their structure also differs with the type. For instance, yellow jackets are stout in size and are also a bright shade of yellow.

Wasps are known to consume a variety of items like nectar, honeydew or fruit juices from plants. Some common wasps are predators and carnivores who consume insects for their meal. This is an extremely beneficial function of wasps as they contribute to controlling the number of insects in crops or gardens.

These wasps are also known to live in colonies and form a social species. Wasps can also act as pollinators, and most of them play an important role in doing so.


Wasps are insects which are usually on the lookout for food sources, places to nest and places to hibernate. Wasps believe in building their homes in walls, and sometimes this may encourage them to enter your house. 

Since wasps enter using cracks or other openings as a source, a good way to shut them out is to seal off any possible entryways for them. However, if they’re already present in your walls, shutting these entries may trap them inside which will cause them to simply eat their way through the walls.

Female wasps like the queen need to find a safe place to reproduce during the winter which is one of the reasons why wasps may be attracted to your house. Not just this, plant life and flowers also often act as a welcome sign for these pests. 

Wasps looking for food may find it in your garbage bin which probably hasn’t been tidied up or emptied in a long time. Also if your house is flooded with other insects, it may invite wasps too.


Wasps can be a handful to deal with which is why if you see any signs of infestation, you must call for professional help. Many pest control companies provide services which help you identify and treat the infestation. They determine what is needed and devise a complete plan to eradicate them from your house. 

Companies dealing with pest management also believe in educating their customers by telling them all about the insects, in this case, wasps. They take care to improve the sanitary conditions and make it hard for them to enter.

Life Cycle of Wasps

Like other insects, wasps also undergo metamorphosis to develop into adults. The entire process from the stage of an egg to that of an adult takes nearly about six weeks to complete. 

As soon as the larvae hatch from eggs, they begin consuming insects brought by other female wasps. The next stage is the stage of pupa which includes the cocoon that helps the pupa develop into an adult.

Purpose of Wasps in Ecosystem

Wasps belong to the order of Hymenoptera and the suborder of Apocrita which makes them neither an ant nor a bee. These insects had first been found during the Jurassic period and ended up diversifying into surviving superfamilies. There are more than hundred thousand species of these wasps which have spread throughout the world except for the polar areas.

Wasps are an essential part of the ecosystem. They act as pollinators as they consume nectar. A large part of pollination is carried out by these insects. 

They are also beneficial because without them we would definitely be overrun by the number of insects on our planet. Wasps are scavengers which is how they help keep the insect population under control.

Wasp Facts

Wasps are amazing creatures that can be extremely beneficial and a nuisance too.

  • Wasps possess venom which contributes to making the fellow wasps much more aggressive. That is why it is advised that one must not swat them near their nests.
  • Also, most wasp stings fade in twenty-four hours, but sometimes they prove to be fatal. Male wasps referred to as drones, mate with female wasps and die right after that.
  • Interestingly, the only survivors of winter are fertile female wasps. They hibernate and lay many eggs.


Like all other insects, wasps have their set of pros and cons. When they mingle with human settlements, they create trouble by stinging people. This has to be avoided, and therefore the infestation must be dealt with. All you need to do is call up a local pest control firm.