Wasps and Hornets in Fort Worth, TX: Identify Them, Stay Safe, Know Who to Call
If you find a wasp nest near a door, a playset or a lawn you mow, don't swat it, spray it or plug the hole. Keep people and pets away and call a licensed pest professional. Texas A&M AgriLife points to professionals for well-established yellowjacket and hornet colonies. Stings mostly happen when someone gets close to a nest built near a house.
You can book online or call (817) 715-2595 to describe the nest and ask what Spyder can do.
Which wasps are in my Fort Worth yard? #
According to Texas A&M AgriLife, just a few stinging wasp species cause real trouble in Texas. Most wasps are helpful because they prey on other insects. Here is how to tell the common ones apart.
| Wasp | What it looks like | Nest | Sting risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper wasp | 3/4 to 1 inch, reddish-orange to dark brown, often yellow markings | Open, umbrella-shaped comb under eaves and porch ceilings | Defends the nest, can sting more than once |
| Yellowjacket | About 1/2 inch, black and yellow, hairless | Closed paper nest with one entrance hole, usually underground | Most troublesome in late summer and fall |
| Bald-faced hornet | Black with white face markings | Gray, pear-shaped nest, often high in trees | Less likely to attack than the two above |
| Mud dauber | 3/4 to 1 inch, long slender waist | Tube-shaped mud nest | Low |
Paper wasps (including "red wasps") #
Texas A&M describes paper wasps as likely the wasps Texans encounter most often. The nest is a single open layer of paper cells dangling from one stalk, with no covering around it. Look for these nests beneath eaves and porch ceilings, inside garages and sheds, and tucked into shrubs. If nobody disturbs it, a nest grows to about 6 to 8 inches wide.
These are social wasps. Each spring a queen founds a new nest, frequently close to the previous year's. They guard the nest and may sting several times, yet they seldom go after anyone away from it unless trapped or pressed against skin.
Yellowjackets #
A yellowjacket measures roughly half an inch, with black and yellow markings and no hair. People often mistake them for honey bees. The paper nest is enclosed, with a single opening. Most sit underground in gardens, flower beds and embankments, but a few are built in wall voids, under eaves or in sheds.
Colonies peak in size around August or September, and a mature one may house thousands of wasps. Texas A&M ranks yellowjackets right behind honey bees among the most important stinging insects in the state. Mowing over a hidden nest is a classic way to get swarmed, because the vibration alarms the colony.
After the first hard frost, most colonies die off. A few make it through mild winters and keep growing.
"Hornets," cicada killers and the "murder hornet" #
"Hornet" gets used for many kinds of wasps. Texas A&M names the bald-faced hornet as the one true "hornet" reported in Texas, and it is a kind of yellowjacket. Its nest can grow up to 3 feet long and often hangs high in a tree.
The cicada killer is another large wasp that gets called a hornet. It runs about 1 1/2 inches long and digs burrows in lawns and flower beds while cicadas are around. Males cannot sting, and females seldom do unless someone handles or steps on them. Its size is why some people mistake it for the "murder hornet."
Mud daubers #
Mud daubers are solitary wasps with a long, slender waist. Their color is either black with yellow markings or metallic blue-black. They build tube-shaped mud nests beneath eaves, inside attics and under shed roofs. A mud dauber works alone, doesn't guard its nest and rarely stings. Texas A&M says a putty knife will scrape the nests away.
Mud daubers feed spiders to their young. If you are seeing a lot of spiders too, see our spider control page.
Should I remove a wasp nest myself? #
Not if it is a yellowjacket or hornet colony, or if anyone in your home has heart trouble or a known venom allergy to bees or wasps. Texas A&M says people in that situation shouldn't try wasp control at all, and it recommends professionals for established yellowjacket and hornet colonies.
Small, out-of-the-way paper wasp or mud dauber nests are a different situation. Even so, don't swat, since swatting can provoke a sting. If a group of wasps attacks, protect your head and head into a building or vehicle. Don't dive into water.
One rule matters most for nests in walls: never block the entrance of an active yellowjacket nest. Trapped wasps may push through into your living space while hunting for another way out.
When can a wasp nest be left alone? #
If the nest is far from where people spend time, leaving it alone is reasonable. Texas A&M says a yellowjacket nest well away from human activity can stay, with the spot marked. Keep kids, pets and mowers away from it.
A nest is a problem when it sits:
- by a front or back door
- on a porch ceiling you use
- on a playset, mailbox or doghouse
- in a lawn or flower bed you mow or garden
- inside a wall, where yellowjackets keep coming out
Check these spots early in the season, when nests are smaller. Keep outdoor trash cans closed too, because yellowjackets scavenge around garbage and open food.
What should I do if someone gets stung? #
A typical sting brings sharp pain, redness and swelling. Clean the spot with soap and water, then apply ice.
Call 911 right away if the person has any of these signs:
- trouble breathing or wheezing
- swelling of the face, mouth or throat
- trouble swallowing
- hives, lightheadedness or fainting
These can signal a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). Texas A&M notes that symptoms typically begin 20 to 30 minutes after the sting, and the situation can become life-threatening within 10 to 15 minutes. If the person has an epinephrine auto-injector, help them use it. If you know you are allergic, ask your doctor about carrying epinephrine.
What to do before calling about a nest #
A little preparation makes the conversation easier and keeps everyone away from the nest.
- Note exactly where the nest is and roughly how big it is.
- Note what the wasps look like: black and yellow, reddish brown, slender-waisted, or large.
- Take a photo from a safe distance if you can do it without approaching.
- Keep kids, pets and mowers away from the area.
- Don't knock the nest down, spray it or seal an opening.
- Mark the spot if the nest is in the ground.
- Keep outdoor trash closed.
How does Spyder Pest Solutions handle wasp calls? #
Spyder Pest Solutions is a family-run, owner-operated company in Fort Worth. Its published services are general pest control, rodent control, mosquito control, bed bug treatment and wildlife exclusion. Wasps aren't named on that list, so the first step is a call to (817) 715-2595. Describe the wasp, where the nest is and how big it is.
If Spyder can take the job, the process works like this:
- Inspection first. A technician looks at the nest and its surroundings.
- Options explained. The technician explains what can be done for your situation.
- Pricing after inspection. Prices depend on the property, so call for pricing.
- Confirmation. The office confirms your appointment time.
The office is open Monday through Friday, 8am to 6pm. Spyder's certified applicator is Sebastian Cadena (license 0952581), company president.
What about honey bees? #
Honey bees are not wasps, and they need a different kind of help. Compared with wasps, they have more body hair, carry pollen and usually sting just once. Wasps have very little hair and can sting repeatedly.
If bees have swarmed or settled inside a wall, call a beekeeper. The Texas Apiary Inspection Service keeps a bee removal list of registered beekeepers by county, and Tarrant County is on it. It advises against removing the hive yourself, spraying chemicals into it or sealing the bees inside. Bee removal isn't one of Spyder's listed services.
Where does Spyder work? #
Spyder serves homes and businesses in White Settlement, west Fort Worth, Westworth Village, River Oaks, Lake Worth and Benbrook. The office is at 112 N Las Vegas Trail, Fort Worth, TX 76108. You can also email [email protected].
Spyder Pest Solutions LLC holds Texas Department of Agriculture structural pest control business license TPCL #0954843, category P (general pest). Ready to ask about a nest? Book online or call (817) 715-2595.
For professional help, see our wasp and hornet nest removal service page. It explains what the service covers, how a visit goes and what to do before the technician arrives.