Any ID on this? Wasp? Hornet? (2014, house, buy)

[hongkong]

Saw a few of these flying into small opening in the base of our 2nd floor window this weekend, looking like they were building a nest, flying in with grass and small twigs. Now I killed one inside our house in our bathroom, anyone have any idea if this is a wasp? hornet?
I'm assuming it's not a good sign and should probably get an exterminator to take a look.

[Nell Plotts]

Looks like a wasp (yellow jacket) to me. There are wasp traps that are very effective. Here is a sample but not the brand I have used: RESCUE!® - WHY Trap for Wasps, Hornets & Yellowjackets

I have never called an exterminator for these critters, a can of insect spray does the job on a nest but be sure to protect yourself while using it.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Wait until after dark. Buy a can of wasp and hornet spray, stand back and spray it into the opening.

It kills on contact. Hornets won't come after you. It sprays in a stream, so you should be able to stand back and still aim it into the opening.

Then take a tube of caulk and fill in the opening.

Walk around and look up at your eaves to see if there are any more nests hanging there. If you find any spray them until they are soaked.

[PDXJ]

Agree - that looks like a yellow jacket. They get ornery later in the summer when the hive population is high and their food sources are shrinking, so best to take care of their nests early. Another method for this is to spray a mix of dish soap and water on the nest. Wait until dusk when they are back inside - the soap glops up their wings and the nest openings.

[jjpop]

OSU Extension Service has a good article on dealing with nests: Know thy enemy

[Elk Wallow]

I don't think thats a yellow jacket, they are ground dwellers and do not build nests with plant fibers.

Most wasps prey on insects. I do not understand people's knee jerk reaction to spray poisons on every wasp and hornet. They are interesting, highly social creatures. How about the OP tolerate and just observe nature through the window? If there is a crack where they can got in the house, fill it. And yes I have been stung before, I didn't die.

[PDXJ]

Originally Posted by Elk Wallow

I don't think thats a yellow jacket, they are ground dwellers and do not build nests with plant fibers.

Most wasps prey on insects. I do not understand people's knee jerk reaction to spray poisons on every wasp and hornet. They are interesting, highly social creatures. How about the OP tolerate and just observe nature through the window? If there is a crack where they can got in the house, fill it. And yes I have been stung before, I didn't die.

I'd generally agree with that sentiment, but the OP said they were building a nest inside his house. And yellow jackets do build nests both above and in the ground. I leave them be except if they are building them on or around our patio where we hang out and eat during the summer. My wife has a strong allergic reaction, and the summer I let them be, they got very numerous and aggressive later in the season.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Originally Posted by Elk Wallow

........ tolerate and just observe nature through the window? .......

I'm a big fan of observing nature and live and let live. However, there is a line drawn when it comes to my house and things that bite, sting, or are poisonous. I'll observe them outside. As long as they stay out of my personal space and don't pose a threat to me or my family, pets, or livestock, they can go their merry way.

Yellow jackets, by the way, are not very good about sharing space, and since it is my space, if they can't get along, they have to be the ones to go.

[wanderbygrace]

That is most definitely a yellow jacket. And oregonwoodsmoke is right on the money with his/her recommendation of how to destroy them.

[ormari]

Looking at the second photo, I disagree with those who say that is a yellow jacket. It looks to be a paper wasp. While the two are related, paper wasps are actually beneficial insects because they prey on unwanted insects. They don't tend to be super aggressive like yellow jackets.

Paper Wasp.

Yellow Jacket