The paper wasps shouldn’t be confused with the yellow jackets; they are much bigger in size. “Bee stings typically result in immediate pain and localized reaction of mild swelling, redness, and itching at the site of the sting,” Troyano says.

They are about one inch long and often brightly colored (see photo gallery).According to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, common paper wasps include the yellow (aka golden) paper wasp, the Navajo paper wasp, which is deep chocolate brown with the end of the abdomen yellowish; and the Arizona paper wasp, … Paper wasp Sting. The paper wasp colony consists of three castes – the queen, worker, and the drones (or male paper wasps). How To Treat Wasp Stings Hornets, yellow jackets, paper wasps, honey bees (including africanized bees), and fire ants all have poison that affects humans in similar ways. Paper wasp. Bee or Yellow Jacket Sting Blisters Boil Bottle Feeding (Formula) Questions Breast Feeding Questions Breath Holding Spells Breathing Trouble Bronchiolitis- RSV Bruises and Cuts Burn Chest Pain Chicken Pox Colds 0 to 12 In these scenarios a wasp sting is possible. Paper wasps and yellow jackets are usually found in the eves of doorways, attics, and other small discreet corner locations. However, only a few of the 35,000 species of bees and wasps can inflict a sting painful to man. However, it is far from similar to a bee when it comes to its contribution to agriculture; a yellow jacket does not carry pollen. European paper wasps are yellow and black, and they sting -- so they are frequently mistaken for yellowjackets. Stings. A yellow jacket wasp usually has a hairless black body with yellow bands.

Paper wasp appearance: Paper wasps have slender, segmented bodies with a thin waist. Normal local reactions : A person is likely to develop a raised welt around the sting site with a tiny white mark visible in the middle of the welt where the stinger punctured the skin. They often have yellow body markings.

They are useful in some ways. They promote pollination and keep the growth of pests in control. Paper wasps will sting to protect their colony, releasing toxins that can be harmful to mammals like birds, wolves, cats and dogs. Paper wasps have three castes — infertile female workers, which make up most of the wasps on nests during the summer; males; and queens. That is when yellow jackets are seen going after sweets, meats, and fish. Like the paper wasp, yellow jackets chew up wood fiber to make their “paper” nest. Honey bees have tiny barbs on their stinger that remain hooked in the skin. Bee Sting Treatment. Hornets form paper-like nests that are attached to trees, bushes, or buildings.

PAPER WASPS vs. YELLOWJACKETS

Paper wasps (genus Polistes) are the most common wasps of the Sonoran desert. [3] Paper wasps feed on nectar and other insects, including caterpillars , flies , and beetle larvae .

A wasp’s stinger contains venom (a poisonous substance) that’s transmitted to humans during a sting. Because of its size and sting, it is sometimes mistaken for a bee or even a paper wasp. Unlike bees, wasps don’t lose their stinger when they attack. If stings are multiple, a more severe systemic reaction may occur. The majority of people are not very allergic to the wasp sting and the initial sensations can include sharp pain or burn at the sting site followed by redness, swelling, and itching as well.

Identified by those nests, paper wasps can be yellow, black-brown or red based on the particular species.

From their appearance, to their nests, to their behavior, here are five key ways to distinguish the two insects from each other. And wasp stings are painful. While the adults feed primarily on fruits, flower nectar, and tree sap, their larvae need protein and sugar. In some individuals, wasp, bee and ant stings can cause an allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), but this is relatively uncommon.