Wasps

Families and Species

There are several different species of wasps that can be found around homes and can be harmful. The paper wasps of the genus Polistes as well as the yellowjackets or white-spotted wasps of the genus Vespula are social insects and they create nests from bark or various by-products (paper, old fence wood or house exterior). Polistes wasps have longer legs and a more slender body than Vespula wasps. Their nests are usually uncovered. White-spotted wasps are the largest of the social wasps endemic to Quebec and can appear imposing to most people.

Wasps of the family Sphecidae are less of a problem because they are solitary. They can however be gregarious in places where conditions are optimal. Although not very aggressive, their sting is much more painful than that of other species in Quebec.

For the rest of the text, we will discuss the social wasps of the genera Polistes and Vespula.

Vital Cycle

It is in spring that the construction of the nest begins. A solitary queen will build the first cells to accommodate the first workers. The nest will grow over the summer to reach up to 50 centimeters in diameter between July and September. Towards the end of the summer, the queen will produce sexed individuals that will go to reproduce with specimens from other colonies. The sexed females will spend the winter in a crevice and then emerge in the spring to create a new nest. The other individuals present in the nest and the males will die during the winter.

The nest can be located in the ground, in a crevice, or on a surface. Wasps are omnivorous and very generalist in their diet.

Why Are Wasps a Pest?

Despite the fact that they participate in the pollination process and feed on unwanted insects, wasps are considered a pest species. They are extremely attracted to the sweet smells we may leave behind and can be aggressive. The sting of these animals can be painful and create severe reactions in people allergic to them.

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