Talk:Paper wasp

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This article is rather poor quality. It needs:

  • Headers to divide it up into appropriate sections
  • A less technical language, particularly in the introduction, to be easier to understand for non-specialists
  • References. IronChris | (talk) 01:57, 21 November 2006 (UTC)

Contents

[edit] Red Wasps in this family?

Local to my area are many, many wasps which sound exactly like this kind, except they are all a reddish brown color (more red than brown). No stripes of any kind, just the redness. They do make these umbrella nests just as described. The only thing keeping me from thinking that these wasps are paper wasps is because this article doesn't mention the type I am describing. And I've never seen a wasp as pictured in this article. Red wasps are the only kind I ever see.


Yes, red wasps are indeed a type of paper wasp. A pic of one should probably be added here as they are a fairly common variety. 65.213.220.62 13:52, 1 June 2007 (UTC)

I just may grab some high-res snapshots of the red wasps while I am at work. We have a gazebo outside and there is currently a young red wasp queen building a hive, so I could get some great pictures. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.215.10.1 (talk) 23:03, 1 June 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Crazy language for the reader to understand!

The language of this article is crazy! What the heck is foundress, conspecific, maxalated, natal, oophagy, cuticular, gasters and more. Please write for me, not for a scientist. I've done my best to simpify the language but someone needs to check I've not goofed - Adrian Pingstone 19:34, 10 March 2006 (UTC).

I've also had to remove a large chunk of inappropriate material, far too scientific for a general encyclopedia. Sorry, but it just wasn't right for WP - Adrian Pingstone 19:50, 10 March 2006 (UTC)tota

[edit] information missing

can someone please update this page with tips to raise wasps in a normal home? what they eat, what to put in their "cage" and what size to make it

WP:NOT#Wikipedia_is_not_an_indiscriminate_collection_of_information, WP:Reference desk. ¦ Reisio 01:29, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Cleaning up

I have cleaned up this page, it should be more accessable to all. So I removed the too techinical banner. Anyone want to re-rate this article?? I think most comments have been addressed.DO11.10 02:16, 15 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Removed incorrect citation

"Unlike yellowjackets and hornets, which can be very defensive, paper wasps will generally only attack if the nest is threatened." The ^[1] Encarta citation was attached to the end of this line. However, I checked and the only sentence I can find is "Paper wasps will defend their nest if attacked." It doesn't say anything about the aggressiveness of this particular wasp vs. others.

I question the validity of this claim (and thus attached a "citation needed" tag), because growing up in Florida I encountered numerous wasps of all different sorts (including a *huge* 3-year yellowjacket boom) and yet I was never stung by anything other than paper wasps. Standing perfectly still always seemed to work vs. pissed off yellowjackets, and it was always suicide vs. pissed-off paper wasps. --Lode Runner 22:42, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

It appears to me in Missouri where paper wasps appear common, that if a paper wasp appears to be POed with you, all you need to do is back off a few yards since they appear to lose interest as soon as your no longer too close to their nest. Jon 21:12, 22 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Confusing

"In some parts of Europe, hornets are a threatened species and are protected by law. In some areas however they are considered a pest - for example introduced species of wasp in New Zealand are a concern for conservation as they compete with native fauna." Not sure what a reference to hornets is doing here. Is this saying that paper wasps compete with endangered hornets? Or is hornets just supposed to say paper wasps? I'll remove the sentance for now, as it is especially confusing.Phantombantam 21:19, 15 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Sensitivity to UV Light

Is it worth noting that paper wasps seem to be attracted to UV light? When I lived in Mississippi in a badly wasp-infested barracks I used to keep a 'wasp light' in my room. A simple blacklight is all you need to detect a wasp in your room, as they will immediately fly towards it and begin bumping and crawling on it. I even learned to 'wrangle' them out of my room with it! I'll look around a bit for some sources about their attraction to UV light, as my wasp light is definitely under the category of 'original research' :) Wild T 10:28, 7 August 2007 (UTC) and wen they sting it hurts like fuck so go and get ur revenge sticks work well if using water u must have it in large amounts