Polistes exclamans, commonly called the Guinea paper wasp, is found around homes and properties in Oklahoma and North Texas. These social wasps become especially noticeable from spring through early fall, when colonies are active around yards and structures.
Polistes exclamans is a slender wasp that measures about three-quarters of an inch to one inch long. Its body is primarily brown, with yellow markings on the head and thorax and yellow bands across the abdomen. The wings are smoky in color.
Body shape is another useful identification clue. Paper wasps have a noticeably narrow waist and long legs that often hang below the body during flight. When resting, their wings fold lengthwise along their back.
The nest can make identification even easier. Paper wasp nests consist of a single exposed comb of hexagonal cells. There is no outer envelope covering the comb, so the individual cells remain visible. The nest hangs from a short stalk and is often described as looking like a small upside-down umbrella.
In Oklahoma and North Texas, paper wasp activity typically begins increasing in spring as overwintered females emerge and establish new nests. Worker numbers increase as colonies develop, making paper wasps much more noticeable from late spring through summer. Colony activity declines as temperatures cool in fall, and newly mated females leave the nest to overwinter in protected locations. Timing can vary depending on temperatures and seasonal weather.
Paper wasps usually choose locations that protect their exposed combs from rain and other weather. Homes and other structures provide plenty of sheltered surfaces that can support a nest.
Nests may develop beneath or around:
New nests begin small in spring. Once workers emerge, they take over much of the foraging, nest construction, brood care, and defense.
As the colony grows, workers add more cells to the comb. That is why a nest that is easy to overlook early in spring can become much more noticeable later in the season.
A paper wasp seen around landscaping or elsewhere in the yard may be foraging rather than nesting on the structure. Adult Polistes exclamans hunt insects such as caterpillars to provision developing larvae, while adults obtain energy from nectar and other sugary food sources. They also collect wood fibers used to build and expand their paper nests.
Because workers forage away from the colony, seeing one paper wasp does not tell you where its nest is located.
Repeated, directional flight is a stronger clue. If paper wasps consistently approach and leave the same eave, porch ceiling, roofline, deck, or other sheltered spot, an active nest may be nearby.
Paper wasps are primarily defensive around their nests. A foraging wasp away from the colony poses a lower stinging risk than females actively guarding a nest.
Getting too close to an occupied nest, bumping the surface supporting it, swatting at the wasps, or attempting to knock the nest down can trigger defensive behavior. Female paper wasps can sting more than once.
The location of the nest matters as much as its size. Even a relatively small colony can create a problem when the nest is directly over a doorway, beside a patio, near children's play equipment, or somewhere people regularly pass within a few feet of it.
Paper wasp colonies do not remain active through the winter. As colonies decline in the fall, newly mated females leave and look for protected places where they can overwinter.
Around homes, cracks, crevices, and other sheltered areas in or around the structure can provide that protection.
Warm winter days can sometimes cause overwintering paper wasps to become active. That is one reason homeowners occasionally find them near windows or elsewhere indoors during cooler weather.
Finding an individual paper wasp inside during fall or winter does not necessarily mean an active colony is developing inside the house.
Paper wasp colonies are seasonal. The colony declines in the fall, and most of its members do not survive through winter. Newly mated females overwinter and begin new colonies the following spring.
Paper wasps rarely reuse a nest from a previous season. However, a protected eave, porch ceiling, shed, or other location that worked well one year may still appeal to a new founding female the next spring.
For homeowners, this can make it seem as though the same colony returns year after year. In reality, a new nest may simply be developing in the same favorable location.
If paper wasps are showing up around or nesting too close to your Oklahoma or North Texas home, contact The Pied Piper for professional pest control services. Our experienced team has the tools and expertise to assess the problem, identify areas of activity, and provide the appropriate service to resolve your paper wasp problem.
Paper wasp colonies are much smaller than some other social wasp colonies. A mature nest may support a few dozen adults, although colony size varies. The exposed comb can eventually contain many individual cells for raising developing larvae.
A paper wasp nest usually lasts one season. Colonies start in spring, grow through summer, and decline in fall. Mated females overwinter elsewhere and start new nests the following year.
Yes. As the colony grows, workers add more cells to the nest. Paper wasp nests are typically largest in late summer or early fall.
Not always. Paper wasps leave the nest to forage during the day, so an active nest may look empty at times. Once the colony dies off in the fall, the old nest is rarely reused.
A paper wasp nest can become a problem when it is close to a doorway, porch, patio, or another part of your property you use regularly.
If you’ve found a paper wasp nest or keep seeing wasps around the same area of your home, contact The Pied Piper to request a free quote for pest control in our Oklahoma or North Texas service areas.
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