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Explore Common Wasps in Ontario and How to Spot Nesting Activity
Wasps & Hornets Library
Eastern Yellowjacket
Appearance: Adult wasps are 12–15 mm long, black with bright yellow stripes and a compact body.
Habitat: Builds nests underground or inside wall voids. Frequently seen in gardens, lawns, and urban spaces across Ontario.
Behaviour: Extremely active in late summer. Attracted to food and garbage. Stings when disturbed or threatened.
Risk to Humans: Aggressive. Capable of multiple painful stings. One of the most common wasps requiring pest control in Ontario.
Interesting Fact: Often confused with bees but are hairless and much more aggressive around food.
German Yellowjacket
Appearance: 13–15 mm long. Yellow and black with a distinctive black dot or anchor mark on the face.
Habitat: Prefers enclosed nesting areas like attics, wall voids, sheds, and tree hollows.
Bahaviour: Builds large, persistent colonies. Highly aggressive in late summer and fall.
Risk to Humans: Frequent culprit of wasp stings in homes, cottages, and businesses. Can sting multiple times.
Interesting Fact: Introduced from Europe, this invasive yellowjacket is a major pest in Ontario’s urban centres.
Common Aerial Yellowjacket
Appearance: 15–17 mm long, yellow and black with longer legs than ground-nesting species.
Habitat: Builds large, visible paper nests in trees, shrubs, soffits, and eaves of homes.
Bahaviour: Less aggressive than ground-nesting types but will sting when nests are disturbed.
Risk to Humans: Moderate risk. Outdoor wasp nests near patios or play areas should be professionally removed.
Interesting Fact: Aerial yellowjackets often reuse nesting sites year after year if not properly treated.
Paper Wasp
Appearance: 16–20 mm long, slim-bodied with long legs. Often reddish-brown, black, or yellow.
Habitat: Builds open, umbrella-shaped nests under deck railings, patio furniture, eaves, and light fixtures.
Bahaviour: Not usually aggressive unless directly threatened. Hunts caterpillars and garden pests.
Risk to Humans: Will sting if nest is disturbed. Paper wasp nests near human activity should be removed professionally.
Interesting Fact: Paper wasps can return to the same area each year unless exterior pest sprays are applied.
European Paper Wasp
Appearance: 11–13 mm long, yellow and black like a yellowjacket but with longer legs and a narrow waist.
Habitat: Favors small cavities—vents, pipe openings, window frames, and under siding.
Bahaviour: Builds multiple small nests. More aggressive than native paper wasps.
Risk to Humans: Can sting readily, especially when nests are hidden around entry points.
Interesting Fact: Becoming the dominant paper wasp in Ontario due to adaptability and high reproduction.
Mud Dauber Wasp
Appearance: Long and slender (20–25 mm), dark bluish-black with bright yellow legs and a narrow “waist.”
Habitat: Builds distinctive mud tube nests on walls, ceilings, sheds, and under decks.
Bahaviour: Solitary and non-aggressive. Paralyzes spiders to feed to its larvae.
Risk to Humans: Minimal. Rarely stings. Often mistaken for more dangerous species.
Interesting Fact: Mud nests can persist for years if not removed, attracting new wasps over time.
Cicada Killer Wasp
Appearance: Very large (25–38 mm), black and yellow with reddish wings. Looks intimidating but is non-aggressive.
Habitat: Digs tunnels in loose soil, near sidewalks, patios, and sandy areas.
Bahaviour: Solitary; females capture and paralyze cicadas for their larvae. Males defend territory but do not sting.
Risk to Humans: Harmless unless provoked. Professional treatment usually unnecessary unless nesting in high-traffic areas.
Interesting Fact: Despite their size, they pose less risk to people than smaller yellowjackets.
Ichneumon Wasp
Appearance: 10–40 mm long depending on species. Slender with long antennae and tail-like ovipositor in females.
Habitat: Common in forests, fields, and gardens across Ontario.
Bahaviour: Parasitic wasps that lay eggs in insect larvae. Do not sting people.
Risk to Humans: None. They are beneficial for natural pest control.
Interesting Fact: Ichneumons are often mistaken for stinging wasps but cannot sting and should not be exterminated.
Horntail Wasp - "Wood Wasp"
Appearance: 20–40 mm long. Thick-bodied, dark with yellow bands, and a long spine-like tail (ovipositor)
Habitat: Found near logs, firewood, or trees. Larvae develop inside dead or dying wood.
Bahaviour: Does not sting or bite. Emerges from wood brought indoors, especially in cottages.
Risk to Humans: Completely harmless. Often mistaken for a stinger-wielding pest.
Interesting Fact: Sometimes emerge from stored firewood months or even years after it’s cut.
Bald-faced Hornet
Appearance: Large (15–20 mm), black with white markings on the face and abdomen.
Habitat: Builds large, round paper nests in trees, shrubs, or on buildings.
Bahaviour: Very aggressive defenders of their nests; will swarm and sting.
Risk to Humans: Stings are painful and can be dangerous in large numbers or to those with allergies.
Interesting Fact: Despite its name, the bald-faced hornet is technically a type of yellowjacket.
European Hornet
Appearance: Very large (25–35 mm), reddish-brown head and thorax with a yellow-and-brown striped abdomen. Wings are tinted, and the body is more robust than typical wasps or yellowjackets.
Habitat: Prefers rural or wooded areas in southern Ontario. Nests in hollow trees, wall cavities, attics, sheds, or behind siding. Rare but increasingly reported near urban edges and farms.
Bahaviour: Less aggressive than other hornets unless the nest is disturbed. Active both day and night—often seen buzzing around lights after dark. Feeds on other insects and sugary plant sap.
Risk to Humans: Can deliver multiple painful stings if provoked. Large size and loud buzz often cause alarm. Nests near homes or cottages should be professionally removed to prevent stings or structural nesting damage.
Interesting Fact: The European hornet is the only true hornet in Ontario, introduced from Europe in the 1800s. While not as common as bald-faced hornets or yellowjackets, it’s becoming more visible in warmer southern parts of the province.