At a glance
- Paper wasps are the most common wasps around East Valley homes, and they build open paper combs under eaves and patio covers, beneath block wall caps and around light fixtures.
- In the Phoenix area, a paper wasp nest usually starts in spring and keeps growing through the summer, so nests removed early are smaller and easier to treat.
- Tarantula hawks and cicada killers are large desert wasps that look alarming but rarely sting unless someone handles or steps on them.
- Africanized honey bees are established in Arizona and can be very defensive, so people and pets should stay away from any bee swarm or hive until a bee removal specialist handles it.
- Platinum Pest Management treats and removes wasp nests, schedules nest work for early morning or evening when the wasps are at the nest, and seals gaps in soffits and block walls where wasps get in.
On this page
Where paper wasps build nests around East Valley homes
Paper wasps are the wasps East Valley homeowners run into most often. Adults are reddish brown or yellow with darker markings and about 3/4 to 1 inch long, and they fly with their long back legs hanging down. Their nests are open, umbrella-shaped paper combs attached by a short stalk, with the cells facing down and no outer covering.
Around Valley homes, paper wasps build under eaves and patio covers, beneath block wall caps, on the underside of meter box lids, in play sets and around light fixtures. A nest starts in spring, when a queen or a small group of females builds a comb about the size of a quarter. The first workers hatch after several weeks, and the nest keeps growing through the summer, often reaching several inches across with dozens of wasps. A large nest has many more wasps to defend it, so spring is the easiest time to remove one.
Other wasps seen around Phoenix-area homes
Several other wasps are common in the Valley. Most are solitary, with each female building and stocking her own nest, and solitary wasps sting far less often than paper wasps guarding a colony.
Mud daubers
Mud daubers build tubes or clusters of dried mud on stucco walls and garage ceilings. Each cell is stocked with paralyzed spiders for the young, and some species hunt black widows. Mud daubers rarely sting, and old nests can be scraped off.
Tarantula hawks
Tarantula hawks are large wasps with blue-black bodies and bright orange wings, often seen on flowering plants in summer. The females hunt tarantulas to feed their young. Their sting ranks among the most painful of any insect, but they are not aggressive and seldom sting unless handled or stepped on.
Cicada killers
Cicada killers are large, solitary wasps with dark bodies and yellow markings. In summer the females dig burrows in bare or loose soil, leaving a small mound at the entrance, and stock them with paralyzed cicadas. They look alarming but rarely sting, and the males that patrol the area have no stinger.
Yellowjackets are more common in Arizona's higher, cooler country than in the low desert, and a yellow-marked wasp around a Valley home is more often a paper wasp.
How to tell a wasp from a honey bee
Honey bees are not wasps, although the two are often confused. A honey bee is rounder and fuzzier than a wasp, golden brown with darker bands, and colonies build wax combs inside wall voids and meter boxes. In spring, a swarm may hang in a tight cluster from a branch or eave while scout bees look for a new home. Africanized honey bees are established in Arizona and can be very defensive, sending out far more bees than other honey bees when a hive is disturbed.
Keep people and pets well away from any bee swarm or hive, do not spray or disturb it, and call a bee removal specialist. Anyone being chased by bees should get indoors or into a car.
How our wasp control service works
Platinum Pest Management's wasp control covers paper wasps and other wasps that nest on or around buildings. We use EPA-registered products, applied by licensed technicians according to the label, and the work usually includes the following.
- Treating active nests, then removing the comb once the treatment has taken effect
- Scheduling nest work for early morning or evening, when most of the wasps are on the nest
- Checking eaves, patio covers, wall caps and meter boxes during regular service visits
- Knocking down new nests in early spring, before the colony has a chance to grow
- Sealing gaps in soffits and block walls where wasps get inside to nest
For homeowners, wasp checks are part of each general pest control visit on our residential pest control plans. Restaurants with patios and outdoor dining can add them to commercial pest control service, and early morning visits can often be finished before the doors open. Under our re-service guarantee, a technician comes back and re-treats at no extra charge if wasps return between scheduled visits.
What to do after a wasp sting
Most wasp stings cause pain and swelling around the site. Washing the area with soap and water and holding a cold compress on it helps, and the swelling usually eases on its own.
Call 911 right away if the person stung has trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, or a history of severe allergic reaction to stings. People who carry a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector should use it as directed and still call 911.
When a wasp nest needs a professional
We advise against spraying a large wasp nest yourself, or any nest that is overhead or needs a ladder to reach. Wasps defend a disturbed nest, and a person stung on a ladder can easily fall. A small nest in a far corner of the yard, away from doors and play areas, can sometimes be left alone, since paper wasps feed caterpillars to their young.
How to discourage wasps from nesting near the house
- Check under eaves, patio covers, play set roofs and meter box lids in early spring, when new nests are small.
- Fix dripping hose bibs and leaky misters, since wasps collect water in hot weather.
- Close gaps under block wall caps and around soffits and fascia boards.
- Cap the open ends of patio furniture tubing and play set pipes.
Wasp nests can be treated on a one-time visit or as part of a regular plan, and same-day and next-day appointments are often available. Call (480) 518-1942 or request a free inspection to set up a visit.
Frequently asked questions
What time of day is best to treat a wasp nest?
Early morning and evening are the best times to treat a paper wasp nest, because most of the colony is on the nest instead of out foraging. During the heat of the day, many wasps are away collecting water and food. Platinum Pest Management schedules nest treatments for those cooler hours whenever it can.
Are tarantula hawks dangerous?
Tarantula hawks have one of the most painful stings of any insect, but they do not go after people. Most stings happen when someone picks one up or steps on one barefoot. The females spend their days hunting tarantulas and feeding at flowers, so the best approach is to leave them alone and let them move on.
What should I do after a wasp sting?
Clean the sting with soap and water, then apply a cold compress to ease the pain and swelling. Anyone who has trouble breathing, swelling in the face or throat, or a history of severe allergic reactions to stings needs emergency care, so call 911 right away. Someone with a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector should use it as directed while waiting for help to arrive.
How can I tell a wasp nest from a beehive?
Paper wasp nests are open combs of gray paper with the cells facing down, usually hanging from a single stalk under an eave or cover. Honey bees build wax combs, often hidden inside a wall, meter box or tree, and a swarm looks like a large cluster of bees hanging from a branch. Keep people and pets away from any bees and call a bee removal specialist.
Is wasp nest removal included in general pest control?
Wasps are part of Platinum Pest Management's general pest control plans. On each visit, the technician checks eaves, patio covers and other common nest sites and treats and removes any nests found. If wasps rebuild between scheduled visits, a technician returns to treat the new nest at no extra charge.