A. McGuire Stinging Insect Pests such as yellowjackets and paper wasps seem abnormally prevalent in some areas of the Basin this year. While both are important predators on some damaging insects and valuable scavengers of dead animals and insects, they can become pests due to stinging of humans and pets. Colonies of both insects reach peak populations in August and September and forage most actively at this time. Only inseminated queens survive the winter in protected locations to begin new colonies in the spring. Yellowjackets differ from paper wasps in that they construct completely enclosed gray wood fiber hives either below ground in old mouse burrows, etc.
Paper wasps are longer, more slender, and have longer legs than yellowjackets.
They also construct wood fiber nests, but of open comb never enclosed. Both types of insects use the nest for only one year. Control of yellowjackets or paper wasps should be attempted only if colonies are located where a threat of stinging occurs. Aerial nests can be controlled with sprays of pyrethroids, chlorpyrophos, or combinations of aerosol cans available commercially. Spray at night or under cool conditions when insects are not actively flying to avoid stings.