Hello Gardeners, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. Paper wasps which build open-celled upside-down, umbrella-shaped nests and bald-faced hornets (which are actually above ground versions of yellow jackets) and build large, football-shaped nests, have many similarities. Both chew vegetation or soft wood, mixed with saliva, to construct their nests. The adults feed on nectar and some insects. They act as beneficial insects for gardeners as they feed their young exclusively with spiders, flies, caterpillars and other invertebrates that may be pests in the yard or garden. They overwinter in the form of a fertilized queen that finds shelter in old logs or debris. Since they are social animals, they will aggressively defend their nests if they feel threatened – sadly, that can be as simple an act as opening a screened door on a porch and stepping outside near a suspended paper wasp nest. Unlike bees, these insects can sting multiple times.
The Life of the Paper Wasp
