Identifying and Removing Black Wasps From Your Home

A great black wasp gathers nectar from a group of white flowers.

Wasps are some of the most fearsome insects that can fly into your home or garden. Great black wasps certainly look the part; their black color, size, and appearance can intimidate anyone. But did you know that they are the least aggressive type of wasps? Even so, here are some pointers on how to identify and deal with black wasps.

Distinct Characteristics of Black Wasps

You do not have to wait for a wasp to land in front of you to know that it's a black wasp. Even when they are flying, black wasps are easily distinguishable because they tend to drag their legs down while in flight. Other types of wasps pull up their legs in place when flying. A closer look will also reveal that the body of a black wasp is bigger than other members of the species. When black wasps are flying near gardens, they also have a distinct humming sound.

As noted above, black wasps are actually non-aggressive creatures. They are also very solitary insects. Males cannot sting at all, and females will only sting when their nest is threatened. So, unless they have been deliberately disturbed or annoyed, black wasps seldom attack humans.

Benefits to Black Wasps

For gardeners, black wasps can be a boon. These insects are an important predator to harmful insects such as grasshoppers and locusts that will devour the greenery in your garden. They are also pollinators, and a large source of their food comes from the nectar of flowering plants.

Before your consider removing them, learn more about black wasps to see if they may actually be best where they’re at.

Getting Rid of Black Wasps

Even though they’re relatively non-threatening and can be a great help in the garden, you might still have reasons you prefer to keep them away from your home. Here are some of the best ways to drive black wasps away.

For starters, you can limit their food source. If you want to keep flowers, think about maintaining indoor plants instead of having a garden outside. Black wasps like blooming flowers and feed off of nectar, so keeping such plants in your yard is like extending an open invitation. If food is scarce around your house, the wasps will find somewhere else to nest.

It is also important to find out if they have set up a nest nearby. Great black wasps actually nest underground, unlike other members of the species. Nests are usually constructed in soft, well-drained soil, and are best spotted by observing the habits of the wasps themselves. Black wasps will usually fly near their nest with paralyzed prey before placing it below.

Since black wasps aren’t a very big threat, it’s advised that you contact your local pest control management professionals to find out how you might safely remove the wasps from your area as opposed to setting traps to kill them.