A paper wasp with a reputation, and it is partly earned — it defends its nest readily and the sting is painful. Away from the nest it is no more interested in you than any other paper wasp.
We identify, we don't diagnose. If you've been bitten or stung and symptoms develop, or you're worried, seek medical attention.
Size20–26 mm
MarkingsUniformly rust-red to reddish-brown, with dark wings and few or no yellow markings · Long dangling legs in flight, like other paper wasps
WhereSheltered cavities and structures — barns, outbuildings, porch roofs, gas grills, wall voids with an opening.
SeasonSpring through autumn, colonies largest in late summer
How to tell it apart
Uniformly rust-red to reddish-brown, with dark wings and few or no yellow markings
Long dangling legs in flight, like other paper wasps
20–26 mm — noticeably larger than a yellowjacket
Open umbrella-shaped comb nest, often in a sheltered cavity rather than fully exposed
Common in the southeastern US, in barns, sheds and porch roofs
Where you’ll find it
The eastern and southern United States, commonest in the southeast.
Sheltered cavities and structures — barns, outbuildings, porch roofs, gas grills, wall voids with an opening.
Spring through autumn, colonies largest in late summer.
How it behaves
Biologically a paper wasp and behaves like one, with a small open comb and a colony that dies out over winter. Its reputation comes from a preference for nesting in enclosed sheltered spots — inside a barn, a grill, a shed — which puts the nest where people arrive suddenly and close, and from a readier nest defence than the northern paper wasp.
What a bite looks like
A red weal with swelling, usually settling within a day or two.
Sharp and hot, often described as worse than a yellowjacket sting, easing to a deep ache over a few hours.
We identify, we don't diagnose. Seek medical attention for breathing difficulty, swelling of the face or throat, faintness, or a spreading rash. Several stings at once are worth medical advice regardless.
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
Open a grill lid, a shed door or a meter box slowly in summer in the south — being suddenly a foot from a nest is how most stings happen. Nests found early are small and easy to remove; a late-summer nest in a confined space is a job worth paying someone to do.
Common questions
Is a red wasp more dangerous than a yellowjacket?
More painful, generally, and less persistent. A yellowjacket will follow you to a picnic; a red wasp will not. Neither is medically significant unless you are allergic.
Why do I keep finding them in my grill?
An unused grill is a perfect nest site: sheltered, dry and undisturbed. Check before lighting, and check early in the season.
Are they the same as paper wasps?
Yes, in the sense that they are a Polistes paper wasp. The red wasp is simply the rust-coloured southern species, and it behaves the same way with a shorter fuse near the nest.
Kristi Zoebelein · CC0