Florida Paper Wasp

Paper wasps help keep hungry caterpillars and other plant pests in check benefiting your landscape and garden.

Florida paper wasp. They have also been found in bermuda and canada where they are considered non native. Paper wasps are a group of several species of vespid wasp. Paper wasps get their common name from the paper like material out of which they make their nests. The introduction to florida wasps starts with the wasp species considered primary pests paper wasps hornets and yellowjackets.

Paper wasps are sometimes called umbrella wasps after the shape of their distinctive nests. Polistinae vespinae a check list only with links to photo sets for each species b check list with a pair of photos per species c check list with. So it s difficult to get by any day without seeing at least one wasp species. What are the most common types of wasps found in florida.

But all paper wasp species in our area by their very name make their nests out of paper. The name paper wasps typically refers to members of the vespid subfamily polistinae though it often colloquially includes members of the subfamilies vespinae hornets and yellowjackets and stenogastrinae which also make nests out of paper twenty two species of polistes paper wasps have been identified in north america and approximately 300 species have been identified worldwide. If a paper wasp nest is located on your property but away from high use areas consider leaving it alone. What is a paper wasp.

Although they do sting they do so only in response to a threat. However while paper wasps may need to be managed from time to time they are considered beneficial and good to have around from a safe distance that is. Paper wasps build their nests from wood tissue and saliva pressing the materials with their mandibles into thin delicate layers resembling paper that form the nest and comb of hexagonal brood cells figure 3. There are two species of wasps that are commonly found in florida.

The florida climate is conducive to having wasps around almost year round. One of two types of red paper wasp polistes carolina is a species of social wasp subfamily polistinae in the family vespidae they are native to the united states from texas to florida north to new york and west to nebraska. A preliminary illustrated check list of the paper wasps and hornets of florida hymenoptera. There are a number of different paper wasp species under the genus polistes and we have several.

These stinging insects are semi social creatures as they typically live in small colonies but do not have a worker caste.