How Can You Identify Wasps and Hornets?
Quick Answer
You can identify wasps and hornets by examining the insect's size, markings and colors. Other clues to help differentiate wasps from hornets include the insects' nesting behaviors, living situations and temperaments.
Continue Reading
Full Answer
Wasps are typically slightly larger and have narrower bodies than either hornets or yellow jackets. Another identifying characteristic of many wasps is their narrow waists, which most hornets lack. Unfortunately, color is very helpful in identifying wasps, as there are many different color variants and combinations.
Wasps have two main nesting habits: solitary and social. Solitary wasps - like ichneumon wasps, spider wasps and mud daubers - usually dig a burrow where a single female lays her eggs. These nests are very small and not easily seen. Social wasps form large nests made of a fibrous material, giving some species the name "paper wasps," though yellow jackets, European hornets and other species make their nests from the same material.
Hornets and yellow jackets have smaller, thicker bodies than wasps. Hornets are either black with yellow, black with brown or black with white. Yellow jackets are exclusively black with yellow. Both hornets and yellow jackets are exclusively social, forming large nests of fibrous material. Unlike wasps, which are often docile, yellow jackets and hornets are nearly always territorial and aggressive.
Learn more about Stinging InsectsRelated Questions
-
Q:
Do Wasps Fly at Night?
A: Although most wasps don't typically fly at night, hornets, which are a type of wasp, do. The European hornet, the only species of hornet found in the U.S.,... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
What Are the Main Differences Between a Yellowjacket and a Wasp?
A: The three primary types of vespid wasps are paper wasps, yellowjackets and hornets. These wasps can be differentiated from bees by their lack of body hair ... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
What Is the Difference Between Wasps and Hornets?
A: The main difference between wasps and hornets is that wasp colonies tend to be smaller, with fewer than 100 individuals, while hornet colonies typically ha... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
What Is a Mahogany Wasp?
A: The mahogany wasp is a brownish-black insect with red markings. It is one of more than 200 worldwide species of "paper wasps," which get their name from th... Full Answer >Filed Under:
