European Wasp

European wasps are commonly found in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania. They’re the wasp species most responsible for painful wasp stings. Once indoors, they prefer to build nests in sheltered locations with easy access to the outside, such as lofts, garages and wall cavities. On the outside, they may nest in old rodent burrows, hollow trees and bushes.

Appearance

• Yellow and black body (markings may vary slightly).
• Workers vary in length from 12–17mm.

Life Cycle

• Only young Queens survive over winter to emerge in the spring to start nest building and laying eggs.
• Workers (sterile females) emerge during early summer and take over nest building. Queens continue to lay eggs.
• New queens and males mate in early autumn.
• Nest dies during winter, including all the males and workers.
• Wasps do not swarm.
• Food preferences — eat insects and sweet foods.
• Females sting readily and repeatedly.
• A colony may have as many as 25,000 individual wasps.