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Wasp, Hornet, and Stinging Insect Control in Macon, Columbus, and South Georgia

A few hornets around the entry hole of a paper hornets nest that will be treated and removed by a pest control company.

There are more than 100,000 species of wasps in the world, and dozens that occasionally become pests in Georgia. But a small number of species account for the great bulk of stinging insect calls, and those are the ones that appear on this page.

We probably should mention at this point that although wasps and bees are related, they're not not the same. Wasps and bees belong to the same taxonomic order (Hymenoptera, which also includes all ants), but different families. In and around Macon, most of the stinging insect calls we respond to are for hornets or other wasps, not bees.

More so than for most insects, wasps and hornets are not good jobs for do-it-yourselfers. Yes, you can purchase hornet spray from your local hardware store. The problem is, you only get one chance to aim it right. If your aim is off... well, a whole colony of angry hornets coming at you at full speed is not part of a happy day.

In addition, many wasp and hornet jobs require special equipment. Most of the time this includes a protective wasp suit (kind of like a bee suit, but heavier-duty). It may also include long ladders, or even lift trucks for some jobs.

Long story short, you're probably better off not attempting wasp control yourself, and you especially shouldn't attempt hornet control yourself. Call us instead. It's what we do.

Bald-faced Hornets

Baldfaced hornets nest in a tree

A bald-faced hornets' nest in a tree

Bald-faced hornets are stocky wasps that are mainly black in color, with white or yellow markings. They live in colonies that can reach several thousand individuals in number, and live in nests built of paper. The nests have a corrugated-like structure inside where they raise their young, and it's covered by another layer of paper that gives the outside an oblong appearance.

Hornets' nests are usually attached to or suspended from trees, buildings, power lines, utility poles, and other objects. They can vary in height from eye-level (and sometimes lower) to very high in the air.

The entry hole to to a hornets' nest is usually on the very bottom, and two or three "sentries" guard the hole at all times. The number of hornets in the nest varies depending on the time of day, but there are always enough inside to defend the colony. If the sentries decide that something near the nest is a threat, they signal to the rest of the colony; and all the wasps inside the nest, and those close by the nest, will attack whatever the threat is.

Once they attack, hornets are mercilessly aggressive. Perhaps worse yet, they're unpredictable. There's no telling when they may decide that someone is a threat. Perhaps some sentries are more paranoid than others. But for whatever reason, it's not at all unusual for a hornet colony that previously ignored people nearby to suddenly decide to attack those people.

European Hornets

Top view of a European hornet

European hornets are common in Macon and throughout Georgia

There's another specie of hornet that's pretty common in and around the Macon area and throughout South Georgia. European hornets are a bit larger than bald-faced hornets and have a much brighter, more distinctive orange and black coloration. They also have a very loud, frightening buzz that sounds kind of like a small airplane just flew by your ear; and their droppings have a horrible, foul-smelling stench.

European hornets usually don't build exposed nests like bald-faced hornets do. They like building their nests in protected areas like hollow trees, attics, sheds, and other voids. In fact, when European hornets get into homes, it's usually the smell that alerts the homeowner to the problem, not a visible nest.

The buzzing and the foul smell of their droppings may be part of the European hornet's defense mechanism, because they're quite a bit less aggressive than bald-faced hornets. They'll still attack if you get too close to the nest, making them a poor choice for a DIY job; but usually if you keep your distance, they'll leave you alone. The smell is usually the reason why customers want these hornets removed; and indeed, if the problem isn't solved, the smell will just get worse as the colony grows.

Yellow Jackets

Yellow jacket wasp

Yellow jacket wasps are common in Macon and throughout Georgia

There are quite a few wasps that are called "yellow jackets," either correctly or otherwise. It's really more an informal descriptive term that's applied to a lot of different wasps with predominantly yellow coloration, than a particular specie of wasp.

The wasps that we Georgians refer to as yellow jackets are usually various wasps of the genus Vespula. One of the most common is Vespula germanica, shown on the right, which is also known as the European wasp or the the German yellow jacket.

Like European hornets, yellow jackets don't like building exposed nests. They build paper nests in void areas, and if those areas are tight, will build the nests in the shape of the void. If they have more room, they usually build one side of the nest flat against a vertical surface of the void (for example, flat against an attic wall), and then build the nest out from there in a roughly round shape.

Some of the places where yellow jackets build nests include attics, wall and ceiling voids, sheds, old cars, hollow trees, and roof soffits. The entry holes may be very close to or very far from the nest, and usually they have more than one. This makes finding the nest difficult -- for most companies, anyway. When we're not sure where the nest is, we have newfangled gadgets like infrared cameras to help us. It's usually preferable to find and directly treat the nest in order to prevent wasps from escaping into the living area.

Paper Wasps

Paper wasps on a nest

There are many species of paper wasps common in and around Macon

If you thought there were a lot of different wasps called "yellow jackets," that's nothing compared to the number of wasps we call "paper wasps." As with yellow jackets, paper wasps are not a particular insect so much as an informal group of wasps that build their nests out of paper. That narrows it down to a few thousand species, but only a handful are commonly found in Georgia.

Paper wasps tend to build their nests in semi-protected areas that are exposed to the outdoors, but shielded from rain. They're commonly found under soffits, around door and window frames, under patio umbrellas and porch roofs, on playground equipment, inside hollow metal fence posts, and in other similar places.

Depending on the specie, paper wasps may be social, solitary, or something in between (several solitary wasps building nests adjacent to each other in a loosely-social manner). Their sizes and colors also vary: Paper wasps vary in size from about one-half inch to almost two inches, and may be black, yellow, brown, orange, red, or multicolored. Like we said, it's really an informal grouping, not a particular wasp.

As a group, paper wasps tend to be less aggressive than other wasps. Their stings are painful, but they don't usually attack unless you act aggressively toward them (for example, by swatting at them).

Cicada Killer Wasps

Cicada killer wasp

Cicada killers are large, solitary wasps that live in the soil and prey on cicadas.

Cicada killers are sometimes called "lawn wasps" because that's where people usually see them. They can be terrifying to some people because the males fly very aggressively and make a loud buzz. But it's all just bravado. They have no stingers, so the worst they can do is annoy you. The females have stingers, but they rarely sting.

The other way cicada killers can be an annoyance is by their sheer numbers. Over a period of a few years, the number of cicada killers in a lawn can increase to the hundreds. They also make holes in the lawn that are very unsightly. These holes quickly cover over with grass, however, once the cicada killer problem is solved.

The cicada killer is named for its unique life cycle. Females have a venom that paralyzed cicadas, which they then drag down into their holes. They lay eggs in the cicada; and when the eggs hatch a day or two later, the larvae eat the cicada from the inside out. Yeah, it's pretty gross. Nature's always beautiful, but it's not always pretty.

Digger Bees

Another soil-dwelling stinging insect that's common throughout Georgia is the digger bee, which is an actual bee, not a wasp. They can do major damage to lawns, as well as terrify people who live on the property or use the lawns. They're really not very aggressive, however, and usually don't sting unless they're threatened.

Stinging Insect Gallery

Here are some pictures of wasp, hornet, and other stinging insect work we've done.

Left pointing arrow. Right pointing arrow.
A paper wasp nest about two inches in diameter attached to the wooden framing in the attic of a house in Fort Valley, Georgia.
Paper wasp nest in the attic of a Fort Valley home
A hornet nest built on the window pane of a brick house in Macon, Georgia.
Hornet nest on a window at a house in Macon
A hornets nest about the size of a beach ball built onto the glass and the frame of a window on a house in Griffin Georgia.
Hornets\' nest on a window in Griffin
A paper wasp nest shaped a bit like a ball with several wasps walking on it hanging from the soffit panel of a house in Macon Georgia.
Paper wasp nest on the soffit of a Macon home
A paper wasp nest removed from the attic of a house in Perry Georgia is about a third the size of a work glove placed on the ground next to it.
Paper wasp nest removed from a house in Perry
A quarter inch gap around a four inch square post where it passes through the soffit panel over the porch allowed yellow jackets to build a nest in a house in Barnesville Georgia.
Yellow jacket gap around a post in Barnesville
About two dozen paper wasps on the slats of a wooden gable vent leading to the attic of a house in Griffin Georgia.
Paper wasps on a gable vent in Griffin
A hornets nest slightly bigger than a beach ball right under the peak of the roof of a house in Griffin Georgia.
Hornets nest high up on a house in Griffin
A huge hornets nest more than a foot wide sitting on the hood of a pickup truck after being removed from the outside of a house in Zebulon Georgia.
Hornets nest removed from a house in Zebulon
About a dozen wasps and their nest in the top of a semicircular gable vent at a house in Williamson Georgia.
Wasps in a gable vent at a house in Williamson
A hornets nest in two piece sitting on the tailgate of a pickup truck after being treated and removed from the outside of a house in Barnesville Georgia.
Hornets nest removed from a house in Barnesville
A hornets nest in a tree outside a house in Albany Georgia has been treated with insecticide powder and will be removed from the tree.
Hornets nest treatment outside a house in Albany
Male pest control technician holding a hornets nest that he removed from a house in Americus Georgia in his raised hand.
Hornets nest removed from a house in Americus
A large hornets nest about eighteen inches across in a tree outside a house in Cordele Georgia.
Hornets nest in a tree in Cordele
A hornets nest about the size of a beach ball hanging from the soffit of a house in Griffin Georgia.
Hornets nest on the soffit of a house in Griffin
A male pest control technician wearing a protective suit and head gear in preparation for removing a nest of hornets from a house in Macon Georgia.
Mason is suited up for hornet control in Macon
A hornet nest built around a branch being held by the stinging insect control technician who removed it from a house in Forsyth Georgia.
Hornet nest removed from a house in Forsyth
A nest of paper wasps about three inches across attached to the under side of the shingles under the rain gutter of a house in Griffin Georgia.
Paper wasp nest on a house in Griffin
A hornets nest built around and still attached to a branch resting on the windshield of a pest control truck after being removed from a house in Macon Georgia.
Hornets nest removed from a house in Macon
Man on a ladder using a bulb duster to treat a yellow jacket nest inside the soffit of a house in Macon Georgia.
Yellow jacket extermination in Macon
Hornets nest hanging from a beam under the corrugated roof of a storage building in Thomaston Georgia.
Hornets\' nest in a storage building in Thomaston
Hornets' nest attached to the soffit of a house in Americus Georgia that will be treated and removed from the house.
Hornets\' nest on a soffit in Americus
Large yellow jacket nest built along the top of the living room window inside a cabin in Macon Georgia.
Yellow jacket nest in a cabin in Macon
Small hole through a flap of paint on the soffit of a house in Columbus Georgia allowed yellow jackets to get into the attic of the house.
Yellow jacket hole into an attic in Columbus
Paper wasp nest on the hood of a car in Albany Georgia with three pupal wasps and five larval wasps outside the nest.
Paper wasp nest removed from a garage in Albany
Golf ball sized paper wasp nest needs to removed from the ceiling of a house in Columbus Georgia.
Paper wasp nest on a ceiling in a Columbus home
Large irregularly shaped yellow jackets nest on the top of the interior window frame in a cabin in Macon Georgia.
Yellow jackets wasp nest in a cabin in Macon
Paper wasps nest with about a dozen wasps crawling on it attached to the soffit panel of a house in Columbus Georgia.
Paper wasps nest on a house in Columbus
Inside of a paper yellow jackets nest removed from a house in Valdosta Georgia showing eggs and adult wasps.
Yellow jacket nest removed from a Valdosta home
Several yellow jacket wasps on a paper nest that was treated and removed from the attic of a house in Columbus Georgia.
Yellow jacket wasps removed from a Columbus home
Mason wasp with a caterpillar it intends to eat or feed to its young
Four-toothed Mason wasp
Yellow jackets nest with part torn away to show the larval wasps inside the paper nest cells
Inside of a yellow jackets\' nest

 

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Spending this Sunday resting up for a big week ahead.
by Chad W.
Sep 10, 2023 08:32:59 am.

Finished up an exclusion before it for too hot outside. Perks of getting up early and getting started.
by Chad W.
Aug 26, 2023 11:03:43 am.

Resting up for another full week of critter ridding.
by Chad W.
Aug 20, 2023 06:11:58 pm.

There is nothing like waking up and looking forward to going to going to work. I love my job and am blessed to be in the position I’m in.
by Chad W.
Aug 19, 2023 07:28:21 am.

Headed to Birmingham to do a raccoon quote. Got another raccoon quote in irondale. Squirrels will be active soon. Call Ridacritter for your free exclusion quote.
by Chris Scott
Aug 18, 2023 09:57:39 am.

A dentist office in Stone Mountain has a dead animal smell that needs checked out this morning
by Chad W.
Aug 16, 2023 07:11:34 am.

Sun’s out in Marietta. Getting hot
by Chad W.
Aug 14, 2023 02:51:31 pm.

Sun’s out in Marietta. Getting hot
by Chad W.
Aug 14, 2023 10:59:56 am.

Headed to Birmingham to seal a bottom transition that snake are entering through. We have a big bat exclusion in sylacauga today.
by Chris Scott
Aug 11, 2023 09:45:07 am.

Installed some crawlspace vent covers in Cartersville then checked out some gutters in Big Canoe
by Chad W.
Aug 09, 2023 02:13:17 pm.

Villa Rica to get some materials, Cartersville to screen some crawlspace vents, then Big Canoe to clean out a gutter for a customer. Busy day
by Chad W.
Aug 09, 2023 06:04:59 am.

Started with bats I Talbotton Ga, Bats in the attic in Manchester Ga. Now to Tyrone Ga for rodents in a home.
by Jason Arruda
Aug 01, 2023 12:52:34 pm.

Taking this Sunday to rest up for a big week. Gonna be a hot one
by Chad W.
Jul 30, 2023 08:20:46 am.

Mountains this morning to check out some carpenter bee and woodpecker damage then to Atlanta to trap a raccoon that’s trying to break in
by Chad W.
Jul 18, 2023 06:42:06 am.

Mountains this morning to check out some carpenter bee and woodpecker damage then to Atlanta to trap a raccoon that’s trying to break in
by Chad W.
Jul 17, 2023 06:12:21 am.

Headed to Tuscaloosa. Going to quote a client that has rats and bats. Got a few traps to check around the Birmingham area. Then to Lincoln for a flying squirrel quote.
by Chris Scott
Jul 13, 2023 08:23:51 am.

Villa Rica this morning to pick up some material then to Cartersville to look at a house with problems in the crawlspace
by Chad W.
Jul 12, 2023 05:50:08 am.

Quoting exclusions today, Tifton Ga bats this morning and more bats in Americus Ga this afternoon. Bats in the attic, bats in the house!
by Jason Arruda
Jul 11, 2023 01:35:50 pm.

This morning we have a crew doing paper wasp control in the attic of a Fort Valley, Georgia home. The wasps are getting into the bedroom through the recessed lighting.
by Webmaster
Jul 11, 2023 08:53:12 am.

Headed to Loganville Ga this morning to seal a house and install ridgeguard. Then to Duluth to check some traps
by Chad W.
Jul 11, 2023 06:30:46 am.

Sting pest control technicians are working on a hornet control job in Macon this morning. Hornets are very aggressive wasps whose control should be left to professionals. They'll attack as a group anyone whom they perceive to be a threat to the colony.
by Webmaster
Jul 10, 2023 09:06:42 am.

Another happy customer in Duluth Ga
by Chad W.
Jul 09, 2023 11:27:57 am.

Atlanta this morning to seal a house and do some ridgeguard. Then to Cleveland Ga to seal some carpenter bee holes
by Chad W.
Jul 07, 2023 06:46:37 am.

In Anniston to look a customer’s chimney. I believe he has chimney swifts nesting in the flue pipe. Going to Leeds after that to set some mouse traps. Couple stops in Birmingham for squirrels and rats later today.
by Chris Scott
Jul 05, 2023 09:10:06 am.

Another good day in the critter industry in the south ga region. Time to call it a day.
by Jason Arruda
Jun 28, 2023 05:53:20 pm.

Stopped in Tifton Ga for a rat quote then to Lakeland Ga for bats. Have others today in Cordele Ga and Arabi Ga also for bats.
by Jason Arruda
Jun 28, 2023 12:09:01 pm.

We will be going around removing traps and deodorizing now that we have stopped all critter activity. Love seeing happy customers!
by Brandon C.
Jun 28, 2023 06:41:28 am.

Started off today having to get a new phone. At the end of the day we have more Exclusions lined up. Customers from Williamson Ga to Macon Ga. Also saw some clients in Sharpsburg and Peachtree City.
by Jason Arruda
Jun 27, 2023 04:01:52 pm.

Headed to Lilburn Ga for a bat quote
by Chad W.
Jun 20, 2023 01:41:56 pm.

Got a few stops in Albany Ga today.
by Jason Arruda
Jun 20, 2023 10:34:47 am.

Rainy day isn’t going to stop production. Lawrenceville, Tucker, Atlanta.
by Chad W.
Jun 19, 2023 07:15:41 am.

Warm Springs Ga bats, Newnan Ga rats just to start off today.
by Jason Arruda
Jun 15, 2023 11:18:36 am.

The Macon, Georgia office of Rid-A-Critter provides stinging insect control in the Macon, Columbus, and South Georgia areas, including Adel, Albany, Americus, Barnesville, Byron, Camilla, Centerville, Columbus, Cordele, Culloden, Cuthbert, Dawson, Eastman, Fitzgerald, Forsyth, Fort Valley, Gray, Griffin, Hawkinsville, Jackson, Juliette, Kathleen, Milledgeville, Moultrie, Perry, Roberta, Sylvester, Thomaston, Thomasville, Tifton, Valdosta, Warner Robins, Yatesville, and Zebulon. We are fully licensed and insured.

#hornet #wasp #removal #macon #georgia

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