Red Wasp

In a nutshell, Red Wasps are annoying little creatures that can be often found in your homes. A red wasp falls under the insect category of Hymenoptera order and Polistinae subfamily. These little buggers are mostly found in the region of Nebraska and Texas in the USA. Red Wasps have earned their name for the presence of reddish-brown hue on their body as well as on their head. Get ready to know every bit about the Red Wasps in this article.

How does a Red Wasp look like?

Red Wasps go by the genus name of Polistes. These are the members of the Vespidae family. They possess an elongated body that is slender in nature. The metasomatic part is spindle-shaped with reddish or brown color body that has the touch of yellow marks.

The body and head have a combination of reddish brown color. Red Wasps have forewings along with three submarginal cells. There lies no intersection between the medial cells and the first subdiscoidal. The females can, however, be easily separated from the Polistes Perplexus group for their lower gena and the malar space that is quite glabrous. The Polistes Carolina is known for their excessive black markings which can be found on the thorax region. Red Wasps have forewings that can measure up to 20.5 mm. There are dark markings that can be found around the eyes of the Red Wasps.

Habitat

You can easily identify Red Wasps for their rust body color, dark-colored wings, and their long bodies. They are mostly found in the eastern regions of America, starting from Nebraska to all the way up to Texas. Florida, the Atlantic Coast, and New York are also not safe from the wrath of Red Wasps. Red Wasps love to reside in hollow and protected places like that of trees mostly found in the woodland regions. But, they will not shy away from building a nest in your home.

Behavior patterns of Red Wasps

The male red wasps are harmless. They will never sting a human or animals; however, the female red wasps are nothing like that. If they sense danger or feel threatened, they won’t be scared to sting you.

What do Red Wasps eat?

Their favorite meal comprises of nectar, dead flies, caterpillars, and insects. The female red wasp feeds her babies with small insects.

The Colony Cycle of Red Wasps

There are four phases of the colony cycle in red wasps. These phases often end up overlapping with one another. Take a look and you’ll be able to understand it better.

1. The Founding Phase

This phase starts in the spring months where the foundresses or the young reproductive females build a nest with or without the help of others. It is observed and noted that a few red wasps perform this task of building a nest with eight other female red wasps. These wasps can leave anytime and move to another nest or come back to the old nest. They then lay their eggs in the nests. One nest has one primary female red wasp that is later joined by other secondary red wasps.

2. The Worker Phase

In this phase the number of female red wasps increases. It lacks male red wasps. These female red wasps emerge together as workers and start engaging in maintaining the nests, caring for the larva, and foraging.

3. The Reproductive Phase

This phase ends when the colony of red wasps starts to decline. It begins with the start of reproducing young ones. The female red wasps mate with different male red wasps and then lay their eggs. A dominant red wasp will however, lay the maximum number of eggs.

4. The intermediate phase

The time that lies between the decline of a colony and the formation of a new one is referred to as the intermediate phase. Male red wasps start to accumulate in these nests once the female red wasps have left.

The Nest of a Red Wasp

Red wasps build their nest by chewing on wood fibers and plants. Their saliva helps then to create a material that is paper-like and helps them to build their nests. When the nest dries, it starts to look like an umbrella that has been turned upside down. The cells that resemble or look like honeycomb are the opening to the nest that lies in the bottom.

They always choose places that are protected and then go ahead to build a nest. These places can be trees, vegetation areas, bottom parts of bridges, chimneys, roofs, wooden boxes, and eaves. Red Wasps are known to build the largest nests in their species. Each nest can hold a maximum of 5000 members.

How long does a Red Wasp live?

The female Red Wasps that don’t reproduce are known to survive for twelve to twenty-two days. However, the ones that reproduce are known to survive a year. Male Red Wasps also survive for the same duration of time.

Red Wasp Sting

A red wasp sting is similar to that of a bee. And, you know very well how bad that can hurt and be painful. Although, they don’t possess any other kind of implications it can become a serious issue for those who have an allergic reaction to Red Wasps. You will come across a wound or tear in your skin that will be red in color along with the shooting pain and burn like sensation. The presence of venom in the sting can cause a list of symptoms that you need to know about.

Keep an eye on the following symptoms:

• You’ll come across a lot of pain in the area you have been bitten. It lasts for several minutes after the bite.
• The affected area turns red and swells up. You will also feel an urge to itch the bitten area of your skin.
• The bump on your skin may last upto one week.
• All of these symptoms are normal and will occur once you are bitten by a Red Wasp. However, a series of serious symptoms may occur if a person is allergic to the saliva of a Red Wasp.

Seek medical help if you come across any of these symptoms:

• The redness caused by the sting ends up swelling to 12 inches or more.
• The entire limb or region of the body swells up and that lasts for several days.
• One might experience fever, headache, and feel nauseated.
• Rashes are common, but they can be serious in case you are allergic.
• Kids are at high risk if more than one female Red Wasp bites them.

How to treat a Red Wasp bite?

You have to treat the sting of a Red Wasp as fast as possible. Take a look at the few things you can do to take care of the bite of a Red Wasp.

Ice Pack

As soon as you feel the sting, use an ice pack to neutralize the pain. Using a washcloth, wrap a few cubes of ice and place it on the area. Within a matter of hours, you will see the pain subsiding, and the swelling will go down.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is popular for the soothing effects it has on the skin. It will reduce the inflammation, pain, and swelling by providing you with the relief you seek.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Soak a cotton ball in the solution of Apple Cider Vinegar and place it directly on the affected area. This will prevent the infection from spreading, and the venom present in the bite of a Red Wasp will be taken care of. Apple Cider Vinegar has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Cucumber

The soothing properties of a cucumber can cool the area of the bite. It will be very effective on the bite of a Red Wasp. Dip a cotton ball in the juice of cucumber and place it on the area.

Ways to Get Rid of Red Wasps

Who wants to share their homes with the annoyance that pests bring? The bite of a Red Wasp is hard to deal with, and it is important that you get rid of them before they can cause any further nuisance. Try to take care of the nests formed by Red Wasps at night. The active female Red Wasps are away during the day, and their activities are consecutively less at night. Use a stiff cardboard cutout and a small container.

Approach the location of the nest; place the container underneath in a way that the entire upside umbrella nest is covered. Use the cardboard to slide away from the entire nest. Keep the lid covered at all times and then carry it far away from your home. Remove the cover and run as fast as you can.

If the nest is beyond your reach and if none of the chemical sprays are preventing them from entering your homes, call the experts. Red Wasps can be a complete nuisance and they will eventually bite you. Take preventive steps before such a thing happens. Stay as far as possible from Red Wasps.