Should I Be Worried About Wasps Around My House?

What you're likely seeing

• Paper wasps: small open umbrella-shaped combs under eaves, railings and grill lids. Generally not aggressive unless the nest is disturbed.
• Yellowjackets: nests in the ground, wall voids or behind siding. Defensive, capable of stinging repeatedly, and increasingly aggressive in late summer.
• Bald-faced hornets: large gray enclosed aerial nests. Highly defensive near the nest.

When a nest is a real concern

Distance is the deciding factor. A paper wasp nest at the far corner of a shed may be fine to leave alone. The same nest above a back door, near a deck, over a walkway or beside a swing set puts people within the defense radius every day.

Nests inside walls or soffits are a separate issue. Sealing the entry hole traps insects that may then chew or push into living space, so those should be handled by someone equipped to treat the void first.

Timing matters

Colonies are small in late spring and very large by August and September. Checking eaves, railings and playsets in May and June makes removal simpler and safer than waiting until the nest is fully developed.

Do not attempt these yourself

• Any nest if someone in the household is sting-allergic.
• Ground nests and nests inside wall voids or soffits.
• Nests requiring a ladder or awkward reach.