by Michael F. Potter, Extension Entomologist University of
Kentucky College of Agriculture Paper wasps, hornets and
yellowjackets are a potential health threat to Kentuckians.
Hundreds (perhaps thousands) of people in the United States die
each year from allergic reactions to the venom of these insects.
Wasps, hornets and yellowjackets are more dangerous and
unpredictable than honey bees and should be treated with
respect; nests should be eliminated with great care and in a
specific manner. Paper wasps, hornets and yellowjackets
construct nests of a paper-like material which is a mixture of
finely chewed wood fragments and salivary secretions of the
wasps. Paper wasps typically build their umbrella-shaped nests
under eaves and ledges. These wasps are not as aggressive as
yellowjackets or hornets, and can be eliminated rather easily
with a wasp and hornet spray sold at most grocery and hardware
stores. These formulations have an added advantage in that they
often spray as far as 20 feet. Treatment of wasps, ho