It stings, and it defends its nest — but only close to it. Away from the nest a paper wasp is markedly less bothered by people than a yellowjacket, and it has no interest in your food.
We identify, we don't diagnose. If you've been bitten or stung and symptoms develop, or you're worried, seek medical attention.
Size16–20 mm
MarkingsLong dangling legs in flight, which is the quickest way to tell it from a yellowjacket · Slim body with a long, distinctly pinched waist, 16–20 mm
WhereNests under eaves, in porch roofs, sheds, letterboxes and grill covers — anywhere sheltered from rain.
SeasonNests founded in spring, largest in late summer, abandoned by winter
How to tell it apart
Long dangling legs in flight, which is the quickest way to tell it from a yellowjacket
Slim body with a long, distinctly pinched waist, 16–20 mm
Brown to reddish with muted yellow markings, rather than crisp black and yellow
Nest is an open downward-facing comb on a stalk, like a small grey umbrella
Flies slowly and deliberately, often hovering under eaves
Where you’ll find it
Across the United States, with several Polistes species overlapping.
Nests under eaves, in porch roofs, sheds, letterboxes and grill covers — anywhere sheltered from rain.
Nests founded in spring, largest in late summer, abandoned by winter.
How it behaves
The colony is small — often only a few dozen wasps — and the nest is the open comb you can see cells in, with no paper envelope around it. They hunt caterpillars to feed the larvae, which makes them genuinely useful in a garden. Defence is tightly local: within a metre or two of the nest they will confront you, and outside that they mostly ignore people. The nest is never reused, and the colony dies out entirely each winter.
What a bite looks like
A red weal with local swelling, fading over a day or two.
Sharp pain at the sting, settling into an ache and itch. Generally reported as more painful in the moment than a yellowjacket sting.
We identify, we don't diagnose. Seek medical attention for breathing difficulty, facial or throat swelling, faintness, or a rash spreading away from the sting.
A skin mark cannot confirm which animal caused it. Read the bug bite and sting guide for the limits and the symptoms that should end an online search.
You’ve found one indoors
A nest away from doors and paths is worth leaving — they eat caterpillars all summer and the colony is gone by winter. If a nest is over a door where people pass within a metre, deal with it early in the season when it is small, or have it removed. Old nests are dead and can be knocked down in winter without any risk.
Common questions
How do I tell a paper wasp from a yellowjacket?
Watch it fly. A paper wasp trails its long legs beneath it and moves slowly; a yellowjacket tucks its legs up and flies fast and directly. The nest settles it too — an open comb rather than a hidden hole.
Will they chase me?
Only near the nest, and not far. Away from it they are among the more tolerant wasps and are not attracted to food or drink at all.
Do they reuse the nest next year?
Never. The colony dies each winter and a new queen builds somewhere fresh. An old nest is empty and harmless.
Vijay Barve · CC0