Wood wasps bore holes in decaying wood and deposit their eggs inside. They have long, stinger-like appendages. But do wood wasps sting, or is the appendage ineffectual? Let’s find out.
Wood Wasps are large insects that belong to the Siricidae family. They are non-stinging insects but create a buzzing when they fly, which may be annoying to human existence.
Also referred to as horntail wasps, they are usually found around coniferous trees that are freshly cut or burnt. In this article, we talk more about these intriguing creatures.
What Are Wood Wasps?
Wood wasps belong to the Siricidae family, and there are close to 500 species of these wasps.
They are mostly solitary insects and are usually found near coniferous plantations. They prefer to live in or lay eggs in trees that are freshly cut, recently burnt, or have decaying wood.
Their females lay eggs using a very unique method. They use their needle-like ovipositor to thread the wood until it is completely inside and then lay their eggs.
In fact, one of the parasite wasps, ichneumons, uses the same trick to place their larvae on top of wood wasp larvae. The ichneumon’s larvae then feed on the wood wasp ones.
Most of the time, wood wasps are non-threatening to human beings. They have an ovipositor, not a stinger, so they cannot sting.
Moreover, they spend most of their time in and around trees and woods. However, they may be annoying to some since they create a buzzing sound when they fly.
Wood wasps can be found all across the US, but they are abundant in Oregon, California, and Washington.
What Do They Look Like?
Wood wasps are large insects with bodies that are about half an inch to an inch long. Adult wasps, both male and female, have barrel-shaped bodies.
They are usually colored in dark shades, like black or metallic blue. Sometimes, they exhibit a combination of black, red, and yellow.
The only difference between the male and female wood wasps is that the latter has a stinger or ovipositor, which she uses to lay eggs in the bark of the trees.
The ovipositor is strictly used to lay eggs only and, despite its appearance, does not work as a stinger.
The ovipositor makes the female appear larger than her male counterpart. The female wood wasp looks quite intimidating due to her large size.
One more thing that separates female wood wasps from males is that they have thicker waists.
Do They Sting?
While many species of wasps sting, wood wasps are different; they cannot sting.
However, they can surely be a nuisance since they may make holes in the wooden exteriors of your home.
Places such as wooden boards, patios, decks, and fences are at risk of a wood wasp attack. If the wood is moist and decaying, the risk goes up even further.
Wood wasps also buzz when they fly, which can seem annoying to many humans.
In case you have a wood wasp living in your house timber, you will be able to recognize this sound from a distance.
Are They Poisonous or Venomous?
Wood wasps are neither poisonous nor venomous. They cannot even sting. Their females have long ovipositors only for dissecting the wood and inserting their eggs in tree bark.
Since wood wasps don’t sting humans, no allergic reactions may happen due to the bite of other parasitic wasps.
Are They Harmful to Humans?
Unlike bees or paper wasps, wood wasps are wood-boring insects and spend most of their life cycle in and around their nest.
They are usually non-aggressive because they are mostly solitary wasps and don’t have a nesting colony to defend.
However, they may create other types of nuisance, such as damaging the wooden areas of your house.
What Damage Do They Cause?
The holes drilled by the female to lay her eggs can severely damage wooden floors, roofs, fences, and other areas.
Moreover, the adults introduce yeast, bacteria, and fungi to the wood to soften it. This allows the larvae to chew on the softer wood for food, helping it grow quickly.
The chewing habit of the emerging wood wasp may leave even larger holes in the wood’s interior. It is important to keep your wooden surfaces painted, polished and varnished to avoid this damage.
How Do They Enter Homes?
If unused firewood is in your home for a long time, it may have turned into wasp nests. Wood wasps might find it and lay their eggs inside since firewood starts decaying after some time.
It is important to ensure that the wood in your yard is free from wood wasp infestation. You can use a good brand of insect repellent to get rid of larvae or adult wasps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are wood wasps aggressive?
No, wood wasps are non-threatening insects that usually spend their lives in and around dying or burnt trees.
Since these are solitary insects, they don’t have a reason to become aggressive. However, they may cause damage to the wooden items in your homes and, thus, are a nuisance.
What is the most aggressive wasp?
The most aggressive wasps are the yellow jacket wasp, the cicada killer wasp, and the paper wasp.
All of these wasps are territorial and can sting not once but multiple times. Their stings can leave a very painful bite, along with a rash.
People allergic to wasp stings can even go into anaphylactic shock, especially if they get multiple stings. Such people may require immediate medical attention.
It is best to maintain a safe distance from wood wasps.
What time of day are wasps most active?
Most wasp species remain active in the middle of the day. Around this time, they leave their nest and fly around looking for nectar.
They also hunt during this time to get prey for their larvae. They prefer warm weather and return to their nest in the evening.
What are the most painful wasps?
When it comes to the wasp family, even bees sting quite harshly. However, the sting of a
Tarantula Hawk Wasp is described as a blinding electric shock in the Schmidt pain index. This insect gets the highest pain rating of all.
Wrap Up
We hope this article helped you learn a thing or two about wood wasps and how they cannot sting but can still cause trouble for human beings.
Wood wasps are non-threatening and usually live alone, so you might not have to worry too much about them. However, if you find several of them flying around, it’s time to call a pest management professional.
Also, always keep your wooden exterior painted and in good shape because wood wasps can nest in them. Thank you for reading.