Wasps and hornets are a serious health risk near an active nest. Here is how to identify common New York stinging insects and when to call a professional.
Late summer is peak stinging insect season across Long Island, Westchester County, and the New York metro area. Yellow jacket colonies that started in April with a single overwintering queen have built to thousands of workers by August, and they become increasingly aggressive as the colony's food demands grow heading into fall. This is when most stinging insect calls happen and when the risk of provoking a large nest is highest.
Eastern Yellow Jackets: The most dangerous stinging insect we handle in New York. Yellow jackets build nests underground most commonly, or in wall voids and enclosed spaces. Underground nests are particularly hazardous because they are often discovered accidentally by a lawn mower, a child playing, or a pet. By late summer a mature colony can contain 1,000 to 4,000 workers who can sting multiple times and pursue perceived threats for significant distances.
Bald-Faced Hornets: Bald-faced hornets build the large grey football-shaped paper nests hanging in trees and shrubs across Long Island and Westchester. A mature colony contains 400 to 700 workers. These hornets are extremely defensive and will attack anyone who approaches within several feet of the nest.
Paper Wasps: Paper wasps build small open umbrella-shaped nests under eaves, deck railings, and window frames. Colonies are smaller — 20 to 200 workers — and paper wasps are less aggressive. Small accessible nests can sometimes be managed with caution; larger colonies or nests near entry points warrant professional service.
Call for professional removal when: the nest is underground, the nest is in a wall void or enclosed space, the nest is a large bald-faced hornet or yellow jacket aerial nest, the nest is near an entryway or play area, anyone in the household has a known allergy to stinging insects, or you have already been stung when approaching the nest accidentally.
The Bugs Stop Here provides same-day wasp and hornet removal across Nassau County, Suffolk County, Westchester County, The Bronx, and Rockland County. Call at the first sign of a problem — same-day service is available for stinging insect emergencies.
Yellow jackets are 1/2 inch bright yellow and black nesting underground or in wall voids. Bald-faced hornets are larger and black with white markings building large grey paper nests in trees. Paper wasps are slender and build small open-cell nests under eaves.
Yes — wasps are important predators of caterpillars and other insects. We recommend leaving nests far from human activity. Removal is appropriate when nests are near entryways play areas or in wall voids of the home.
Small paper wasp nests under 10 cells in accessible locations can be removed at night with wasp spray. Anything larger in-ground or in an enclosed space should be professionally removed — the risk of provoking thousands of stinging insects is significant.
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