Common Wasps in Wisconsin

Bald Faced Hornets

Habitat:

• Paper nests
• Prefer trees and places at least 3 feet off the ground
• Nests look like grey, papier-mache basketballs and are completely enclosed

Habits:

• Aggressive and known to sting even if not directly provoked
• Social insects that live in colonies of 60 to 100
• Feed on flies, caterpillars, and spiders

Check out their Habits and Habitat here

Cicada Killer Wasps

Habitat

• Prefer areas of full sunlight
• Dig tunnels in the ground near where cicadas live

Habits

• Breed rapidly and are solitary
• Non-aggressive and unlikely to sting
• Territorial and will defend the nest

Check out their Habits and Habitat here.

European Hornets

Habitat:

• Prefer to build nests in hollowed out trees, wall voids, barns, attics
• Will nest in abandoned beehives
• Each nest can house up to 1,000 workers

Habits:

• Active at night, unlike most stinging insects
• Rarely aggressive

Check out their Habits and Habitat here.

Mud Daubers

Habitat:

• Construct side by side tubular nests out of mud that resemble organ pipes
• Prefer spots protected from the rain
• Occupy the same nest site year after year

Habits:

• Solitary, do not live in colonies
• Non-aggressive
• Feed primarily on spiders, but also plant nectar and honeydew
• Have contributed to at least 3 commercial airplane crashes

Check out their Habits and Habitat here.

Paper Wasps

Habitat:

• Paper-like nests that are like upside down umbrellas
• Cells are open and uncovered
• Nests often hang from protected areas like roof overhangs, trees, eaves

Habits:

• Semi-social, small colonies
• No worker bees
• Feed on insects such as caterpillars and flies as well as nectar from flowers

Check out their Habits and Habitat here.

Yellowjackets

Habitat:

• Generally build nests in the ground
• Paper-like nests made up of chewed cellulose

Habits:

• Aggressive and territorial
• Able to sting multiple times
• Feed on fruit and sugar during summer

Check out their Habits and Habitat here.