Hobbies And Interests
Paper Wasps
Paper wasps are particularly slender. They have the same narrow waist as all wasps, but the proportion is less pronounced. Paper wasp legs are long, and paper wasps live in smaller colonies than other types of wasps. Paper wasp nests are discernible by the single comb through which the wasps leave and arrive. Paper wasps are generally nonaggressive and live off caterpillars, so finding a colony in a garden may not be such a bad thing if you give it respectful distance.
Ground-Nesting Yellow Jacket
There are a variety of yellow jackets in Indiana. Yellow jackets are a tricky proposition because they build subterranean nests, so you may stumble onto them unwittingly. Yellow jackets are protective, too. Their painful sting may seem undeserved. Their nests are so well hidden, it's possible you don't realize you've crossed one until it's too late. The colonies are large, so be careful when traversing creek banks and forest floors. Yellow jackets often scavenge for food, especially in late summer and early fall, so cover food when outdoors to avoid unpleasant contact.
Baldfaced Hornet
The baldfaced hornet is a large, gray and white wasp that lives in a gray, pear-shaped colony. Colonies can be very large, with sometimes more than 1,000 workers. Because of the sheer number of wasps in a baldfaced hornet colony, any tree-mounted colonies that present a potential for human interaction should be eradicated for safety's sake.
Giant Hornet
The giant hornet, sometimes called the European hornet, is larger and thicker than the yellow jacket. Giant hornets are usually yellow and black, although sometimes they may be white and black. They hide their colonies inside the walls of buildings, often deep inside structures, so that extermination is difficult and requires a professional. Do not leave giant hornet nests to grow. Colonies can become colossally large, and an attack by giant hornets could be fatal.