Texas is home to a diverse range of wasps, some of which are dangerous while others are beneficial to the environment. Wasps are important predators in the food web, preying on insects, caterpillars, and spiders, including garden pests, to feed their larvae.
While not as efficient at pollinating as native bees, many adults collect nectar and aid in plant pollination. There are over 100 species of plants in the world that rely solely on wasps to pollinate them, and fig trees are a great example. Without the wasps that pollinate them, there would be no more figs!
You are reading: Discover 14 Types Of Wasps In Texas
In this article, we will discover 14 types of wasps commonly found in Texas.
14 Types Of Wasps In Texas
Yellowjackets
Yellowjackets are a type of wasp that are commonly found in Texas. They are often mistaken for honey bees, but can be distinguished by their black and yellow markings and hairless bodies.
Yellowjackets are typically about ½ inch to ¾ inches in length and have black and white coloration, with the abdomen being primarily black (with a white mark at the tip) and the face being mostly yellow.
Yellowjacket nests can be aerial, but are primarily terrestrial (subterranean) and are constructed from chewed wood fiber and consist of multiple horizontal combs. Once the combs are constructed, the entire nest is covered by a papery shell (also called an “envelope”), except for one hole near the bottom of the nest that is used as an entrance.
A yellowjacket nest is founded by a single queen who constructs the nest, forages for food, lays eggs, cares for the brood, and defends the nest. Once the female workers emerge, they assume all tasks, except for egg-laying, and the queen remains in the nest and is solely responsible for producing progeny.
Yellowjacket workers feed their larvae a diet of insects, arthropods, and carrion, and also collect nectar and other sugary solutions, but they do not store honey in the nest. Yellowjackets are known for their aggressive behavior and will sting to defend their nest.
Hornets
The only true hornet species found in Texas is the Baldfaced hornet, which is actually a type of yellowjacket. Baldfaced hornets are large wasps, about ¾ inch long, and are black with white markings. They construct an inverted, pear-shaped, enclosed paper carton nest which can be up to 3 feet long.
The grayish-brown nest has two to four horizontally arranged combs and an entrance hole at the bottom. Baldfaced hornets are social insects, and the mature colony consists of a queen, 200 to 400 winged infertile female workers, brood (eggs, larvae, and pupae), and, in late summer, males and reproductive females.
The queen lays eggs in cells of the nest, and the larvae hatching from eggs are fed by workers. Baldfaced hornets are known for their painful sting. Unlike many other hornet species, Baldfaced hornets are somewhat small.
Paper Wasps
Paper wasps are a group of social wasps commonly found throughout Texas. They are most easily identified by their hexagon-patterned nests made from chewed wood pulp.
This top insect predator hunts for caterpillars and other insects to feed its larvae. Paper wasps are medium-sized wasps, around 1 inch long, with narrow waists and different colors ranging from black to reddish-brown, or with yellow stripes.
Since different paper wasp species look different, the easiest way to identify them is by their nest. Paper wasps use wood fibers to create an umbrella-shaped nest in a honeycomb pattern.
These nests hang from a single “stem” and can be found on porch ceilings, eaves, and under just about any horizontal surface. The queen places a single egg in each cell of the nest.
Red paper wasps are a species of paper wasp commonly found in Texas. They are easy to identify by their red body with black wings and their paper nests look similar to other paper wasp nests.
Mud Daubers
Mud daubers are a group of solitary wasps that are commonly found in Texas. They are called mud daubers because they build their nests from mud.
Mud daubers are not aggressive and are not known to sting unless provoked. They are medium-sized wasps, about 1 inch long, with long, slender waists and different colors ranging from black to reddish-brown, or with yellow stripes.
Mud daubers are solitary insects, meaning each nest only has one wasp that is responsible for all the necessary tasks. The nests are constructed from mud by a single mated female and they can vary in shape, from pipe-shaped to globular.
These nests can be found under eaves, in garages, or any protected area. Once the first brood cell in the nest has been constructed, the female mud dauber will start hunting for spiders to provision that cell.
When a spider has been captured, the female mud dauber will paralyze it before placing it in the cell. Mud daubers are important predators of spiders and help to control their populations.
Cicada Killers
Cicada killers are a type of solitary wasp commonly found in Texas. They are also known as the eastern cicada killer and are one of the largest wasps in the United States, reaching up to 2 inches in length.
Cicada killers are black or dark brown with yellow markings on several segments of their body. They are not aggressive and do not have a nest-guarding instinct like honey bees and hornets.
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Cicada killers are important predators of cicadas, which they use as food to rear the next generation of wasps. The female cicada killer stings and paralyzes the cicada before dragging it to the nest.
Cicada killers dig extensive tunnels where their young will be raised, displacing several pounds of soil in the process. Cicada killers are not considered a major pest, but their burrows can disturb lawns and they will sting if molested.
Mexican Honey Wasps
Mexican honey wasps, also known as Brachygastra mellifica, are a type of social wasp that can be found in North America, including Texas. They are one of the few wasp species that produce honey, which is considered a delicacy in some cultures in Mexico.
Mexican honey wasps are smaller than honey bees and are almost all black in body color. They form paper nests that are usually found in trees and shrubs, often in the canopy of a shrub or a tree, often 1 to 9 m above the ground. These nests are well covered in the foliage in which they are built.
Mexican honey wasps are gatherers and pollinators, and they are the only wasp species to produce honey. The larvae of Mexican honey wasps feed on honey and pollen, which is an unusual diet for wasps.
Mexican honey wasps are mild-mannered and are not known to be aggressive. They can be beneficial to humans because they can be used to control pest species and to pollinate avocados.
Cricket Hunter Wasps
Cricket hunter wasps are a type of solitary wasp that can be found in Texas. They are also known as steel-blue cricket hunters and are about ½ to 5/8 inches long. They are dull black in color with grey or dusky-colored wings.
Steel-blue cricket hunters are large wasps that build their nests in the soil. They get their name from their ability to hunt and capture large crickets that they use to feed their young.
The female cricket hunter wasp will sting and paralyze the cricket before dragging it back to the nest. Once the cricket is in the nest, the female will lay an egg on the cricket and seal the nest.
The egg hatches into a larva that feeds on the paralyzed cricket. Steel-blue cricket hunters are not considered a pest and are actually beneficial to humans because they help to control cricket populations.
Bald Faced Hornets
Bald-faced hornets are a type of wasp that can be found in Texas. They are also known as the white-faced hornet and are a member of the eusocial, cosmopolitan family Vespidae.
Bald-faced hornets are distributed throughout the United States and southern Canada, but are most common in the Southeastern United States. They are not true hornets, but are actually a type of yellowjacket.
Bald-faced hornets are black with white markings on most of the face, legs, thorax, and toward the tip of the abdomen. They are larger than other species of Dolichovespula, with adults averaging about 19 mm (0.75 in) in length.
Bald-faced hornets are social insects and live in colonies that may contain between 100 and 400 members at their peak. The queen lays eggs in cells of the nest, and the larvae hatching from eggs are fed by workers.
Bald-faced hornets build their nests in trees and shrubs and construct them out of wood pulp (literally paper). These nests eventually have several layers of horizontal comb enclosed by an outer envelope, just like yellowjacket nests.
Bald-faced hornets are omnivorous and feed on flies, caterpillars, spiders, and other insects. They are considered beneficial due to their predation of these pests.
However, their aggressive defensive nature makes them a threat to humans who wander too close to a nest or when a nest is constructed too close to human habitation. Bald-faced hornets are known for their painful sting and can sting multiple times.
Eastern Cicada Killers
Eastern cicada killers, also known as cicada killers or cicada hawks, are a type of solitary wasp that can be found in Texas. They are one of the largest wasp species in North America, reaching up to 2 inches in length.
Eastern cicada killers are black or dark brown with yellow markings on several segments of their body. They are not aggressive and do not have a nest-guarding instinct like honey bees and hornets.
Eastern cicada killers are important predators of cicadas, which they use as food to rear the next generation of wasps. The female cicada killer stings and paralyzes the cicada before dragging it to the nest.
Eastern cicada killers dig extensive tunnels where their young will be raised, displacing several pounds of soil in the process. Eastern cicada killers are not considered a major pest, but their burrows can disturb lawns and they will sting if molested.
Thread-waisted Wasps
Thread-waisted wasps are a group of wasps that belong to the family Sphecidae. They are called thread-waisted wasps because of their long, thin waist that separates the thorax from the abdomen.
Thread-waisted wasps are solitary insects, meaning each nest only has one wasp that is responsible for all the necessary tasks. They are medium-sized wasps, about 1 inch long, with different colors ranging from black to reddish-brown, or with yellow stripes.
Thread-waisted wasps are parasitic and predatory insects that hunt and capture other insects to feed their young. The female thread-waisted wasp will sting and paralyze the prey before dragging it back to the nest.
Once the prey is in the nest, the female will lay an egg on it and seal the nest. The egg hatches into a larva that feeds on the paralyzed prey. Thread-waisted wasps are not considered a pest and are actually beneficial to humans because they help to control pest species.
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There are several species of thread-waisted wasps, including Ammophila pictipennis, Ammophila procera, and Chlorion aerarium.
Red Paper Wasps
Red paper wasps are a type of paper wasp that can be found in Texas. They are also known as Polistes carolina and are noted for the reddish-brown color of their head and body.
Red paper wasps are social insects that live in colonies that can contain up to several hundred individuals. Each colony has a queen, who is responsible for laying eggs and starting new colonies. The workers, which are all female, take care of the nest, gather food, and defend the colony.
Red paper wasps construct their nests by chewing plant and wood fibers with saliva to create a paper-like material. When dried, their nests form an upside-down umbrella or dome shape with exposed honeycomb-like cells, opening at the bottom.
Red paper wasps prefer to nest in protected spaces, such as naturally occurring locations in vegetation or the cavities of trees. They also frequently nest in man-made structures, such as the underside of bridges, roofs, chimneys, and eaves.
Red paper wasps are not considered a major pest and are actually beneficial to humans because they help to control pest species.
Great Golden Digger Wasps
Great golden digger wasps, also known as Sphex ichneumoneus, are a type of solitary wasp that can be found in Texas. They are large wasps, about 1 to 1.5 inches long, and are identified by the golden pubescence on their head and thorax, their reddish-orange legs, and partly reddish-orange body.
Great golden digger wasps are not aggressive and are not known to sting unless provoked. They are solitary insects, meaning each nest only has one wasp that is responsible for all the necessary tasks. The nests are dug in sandy soils and are not social, but nesting aggregations ranging from a few to (rarely) hundreds of females can occur in open sunny sites with the right kind of soil.
Great golden digger wasps are parasitic and predatory insects that hunt and capture Orthoptera, such as crickets and katydids, to feed their young. The female great golden digger wasp will sting and paralyze the prey before dragging it back to the nest.
Once the prey is in the nest, the female will lay an egg on it and seal the nest. The egg hatches into a larva that feeds on the paralyzed prey. Great golden digger wasps are beneficial to humans because they help to control pest species and pollinate flowers.
Apache Paper Wasps
Apache paper wasps, also known as Polistes apachus, are a social wasp native to western North America, including Texas. They are commonly referred to as the “apache wasp” and are the most common Polistes species in Texas.
Apache paper wasps are medium-sized wasps, about 1 inch long, with a black body and yellow markings on the head and thorax. Like all Polistes species, the nests are single-layered and shaped like an umbrella, with the cells exposed to the air from the bottom.
Apache paper wasps are known for their aggressive behavior and painful stings. They are considered a pest species in fig orchards in California due to their aggressive attacks and painful stings on farm laborers during harvest time in September and October.
Apache paper wasps are not considered a major pest in Texas, but they can be a nuisance if their nests are located near human habitation.
European Paper Wasps
European paper wasps are a type of social wasp that are native to Europe and the Mediterranean regions. They are also known as Polistes dominula and are a newly established insect in North America, including Texas.
European paper wasps are generally black in color with yellow markings on their body. They are larger than other species of Polistes, with adults averaging about 19 mm (0.75 in) in length.
European paper wasps are social insects and live in colonies that may contain between 100 and 400 members at their peak. The queen lays eggs in cells of the nest, and the larvae hatching from eggs are fed by workers.
European paper wasps build their nests in protected areas, such as under eaves, in attics, and in wall voids. These nests are made of paper and are usually gray or tan in color.
European paper wasps are not considered a major pest, but their aggressive defensive nature makes them a threat to humans who wander too close to a nest or when a nest is constructed too close to human habitation.
European paper wasps are beneficial to humans because they help to control pest species and pollinate flowers.
FAQS
1. What are the most common types of wasps in Texas?
The most common types of wasps in Texas include yellowjackets, paper wasps, mud daubers, cicada killers, bald-faced hornets, thread-waisted wasps, and European paper wasps.
2. Are wasps dangerous in Texas?
Some species of wasps in Texas can be dangerous, such as yellowjackets and bald-faced hornets, which are known for their aggressive behavior and painful stings. However, most species of wasps are not aggressive and are not considered a threat to humans.
3. Are wasps beneficial to the environment?
Yes, wasps are important predators in the food web, preying on insects, caterpillars, and spiders, including garden pests, to feed their larvae. They also help to control pest species and pollinate flowers.
4. How can I identify different types of wasps in Texas?
Different types of wasps can be identified by their size, color, and nest structure. For example, yellowjackets are black and yellow with hairless bodies and build nests out of chewed wood fiber, while paper wasps are medium-sized with narrow waists and build hexagon-patterned nests made from chewed wood pulp.
5. What should I do if I find a wasp nest on my property?
If you find a wasp nest on your property, it is best to contact a professional pest control service to safely remove the nest. Do not attempt to remove the nest yourself, as this can be dangerous and may result in stings.
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