Are paper wasps dangerous to kids and pets in New Hampshire?

Paper wasps are defensive rather than aggressive — they sting primarily when their nest is approached or disturbed, not because they seek out people. That said, their sting rates a 3.0 on the Schmidt pain index, making it notably more painful than a yellowjacket sting (2.0), and they can sting repeatedly because their stinger is smooth and unbarbed. A small nest high under a rarely-used eave can often be tolerated. A nest over a frequently used door, near a child's play area, or on outdoor furniture warrants professional removal. Anyone with a known allergy to wasp venom should treat any paper-wasp nest as a medical priority and call Anchor or another licensed NH professional rather than attempting removal.

What's the wasp with orange antennae on my house?

That is the European paper wasp (Polistes dominula) — an invasive species that arrived near Boston in 1978 and has been expanding across the Northeast ever since. Its orange or reddish antennae are the single fastest ID cue: no other social wasp in North America has them. The European paper wasp is black with bright yellow markings and looks superficially like a yellowjacket, but its dangling legs in flight, slender waist, and open umbrella comb (no outer envelope) confirm it is a paper wasp. It nests earlier in spring and more readily in man-made cavities — pipes, grills, soffits, electrical boxes — than the native northern paper wasp, which is why it is increasingly the paper wasp NH homeowners find on their structures.

How bad is a paper wasp sting?

Paper wasp stings are rated 3.0 on the Schmidt sting pain index — Schmidt described it as 'caustic and burning, distinctly bitter aftertaste, like spilling a beaker of hydrochloric acid on a paper cut.' For comparison, a yellowjacket sting is a 2.0. Paper wasps can sting multiple times because their stinger is smooth, not barbed. The pain typically peaks in the first few minutes and may persist for an hour or more with local swelling and redness. For sting first aid guidance, including signs of anaphylaxis that require emergency care, see our cross-hub resource at /yellowjackets/yellow-jacket-sting-treatment. In any suspected allergic reaction, call 911; the Northern New England Poison Center is available 24/7 at 1-800-222-1222.

How do I tell the two NH paper wasps apart — native vs. European?

The antennae are the fastest tell. European paper wasps (Polistes dominula) have bright orange or reddish antennae — unique among North American social wasps. Northern paper wasps (Polistes fuscatus) have black antennae. Body color is also different: European paper wasps are black with extensive bright yellow markings and orange legs, resembling a yellowjacket. Native northern paper wasps are predominantly dark reddish-brown with narrower yellow bands and cinnamon-toned abdominal markings. If the wasp looks almost like a yellowjacket but has dangling legs and no nest envelope — check the antennae. Orange means European.

Do male paper wasps sting?

No. Only female paper wasps have stingers. Males hatch later in the season, mate with new queens, and then die — they play no role in nest defense and cannot sting. In late summer you may see more wasps around a nest and assume increased aggression, but some of those individuals are males that are incapable of stinging. The wasps that do sting are the female workers and the foundress queen, and they sting defensively when the nest is disturbed. Paper wasps also frequently 'warn' by flying at intruders without stinging, especially early in an encounter — a behavior documented by Cornell CALS and others.

Do paper wasps reuse last year's nest?

No. Paper wasp nests are single-season structures. Each colony dies at the first hard frost — in Manchester, that is typically around October 19 to 29 per NOAA 1991–2020 normals. Only newly mated future queens survive the winter, tucked into wall voids, attics, or under loose bark. Each of those queens founds a brand-new nest from scratch in spring. The old nest is not reused, though a new foundress may build near a previous site if it offers good shelter. This means removing an abandoned nest in fall is optional; what matters is identifying and addressing active colonies while the colony is present.

What are paper wasps good for?

Paper wasps are significant predators of caterpillars and other soft-bodied insects — they hunt these prey to feed their larvae, giving them a legitimate role in natural garden pest control. UNH Cooperative Extension acknowledges this beneficial role. The European paper wasp is also documented as an under-recognized predator of monarch butterfly larvae in gardens (Baker and Potter 2020, Scientific Reports), which is a counterpoint worth noting. Both species are minor pollinators as adults, feeding on nectar. The overall ecological balance — beneficial caterpillar predators, minor pollinators — is why pest professionals and extension services recommend leaving nests alone when they are in low-conflict locations away from foot traffic.

Should I remove a paper wasp nest myself?

Small, early-season nests (golf-ball size or smaller, ideally with fewer than a dozen cells) in low-traffic spots can sometimes be knocked down after dark when wasps are settled — wearing long sleeves, eye protection, and retreating quickly. As nests grow and worker counts increase, DIY removal becomes significantly riskier: paper wasps release alarm pheromones that recruit nestmates, and a disturbed colony of 20–30 workers stinging at Schmidt 3.0 is a medical event for anyone with venom allergy. For nests in wall voids, soffits, or any enclosed cavity, professional dust treatment is more effective and far safer than aerosol knockdown. Anchor Pest Services confirms the species before treatment, removes paper-wasp nests across southern NH for a flat one-time rate, and carries an approximately 30-day re-treat guarantee. NH license #782664, category F1 under RSA 430.

When do paper wasps go away in New Hampshire?

Paper wasp colonies collapse at the first hard frost of fall. In Manchester and the southern NH communities Anchor serves, NOAA 1991–2020 normals put that date around October 19 (50% probability) or October 29 (80% probability) — roughly two to three weeks later than Concord or Keene, which typically frost in late September to early October. After the frost, worker wasps die, and only newly mated queens survive by dispersing to overwinter in sheltered spots. Activity peaks in late August and September, so waiting for a late-October frost before removing a nest over a doorway means living with the nest at its most dangerous for another month or two.

Daniel Brady · NH-Licensed Pesticide Applicator · License #782664

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Paper Wasps in New Hampshire — ID, Sting, Nest & Removal

Identification

Paper wasps are slender, long-legged wasps that build open, downward-facing umbrella combs under eaves, soffits, and grills — no outer envelope, unlike enclosed yellowjacket or hornet nests. New Hampshire has two common species: the native northern paper wasp (Polistes fuscatus) and the invasive European paper wasp (Polistes dominula), which you can tell apart by its distinctive orange antennae. Both sting defensively near the nest at Schmidt 3.0 — higher than a yellowjacket — and should be removed by a licensed professional when the nest is in a high-traffic area.

Quick facts

Sting pain: Schmidt 3.0Described as 'caustic and burning… like spilling a beaker of hydrochloric acid on a paper cut' — higher than a yellowjacket (2.0); Britannica
Size — native: 15–21 mmNorthern paper wasp (Polistes fuscatus); Animal Diversity Web / animaldiversity.org
Size — invasive: 12–18 mmEuropean paper wasp (Polistes dominula); Penn State Extension / animaldiversity.org
Invasive tell: Orange antennaeNo other social wasp in North America has orange antennae; Penn State Extension / Cornell CALS

Sting pain
Schmidt 3.0
Described as 'caustic and burning… like spilling a beaker of hydrochloric acid on a paper cut' — higher than a yellowjacket (2.0); Britannica
Size — native
15–21 mm
Northern paper wasp (Polistes fuscatus); Animal Diversity Web / animaldiversity.org
Size — invasive
12–18 mm
European paper wasp (Polistes dominula); Penn State Extension / animaldiversity.org
Invasive tell
Orange antennae
No other social wasp in North America has orange antennae; Penn State Extension / Cornell CALS

Overview

Two paper wasps call New Hampshire home — and only one has orange antennae

If you've found a flat, open honeycomb of gray paper cells hanging under your eave, soffit, porch railing, grill lid, or mailbox, you are looking at a paper wasp nest — and in New Hampshire you almost certainly have one of two species: the native northern paper wasp (Polistes fuscatus) or the invasive European paper wasp (Polistes dominula). Most ranking pages on the internet conflate them into one, but telling them apart matters, because their nesting habits and the places they choose differ in ways that affect where you find them and how often.

The single fastest field diagnostic: look at the antennae. European paper wasps have bright orange or reddish antennae. No other social wasp in North America does. If the antennae are black — as they are on yellowjackets, bald-faced hornets, and the native northern paper wasp — you are likely looking at a native or one of the other social wasps. That one visual cue sorts two-thirds of paper-wasp identification questions on the spot.

Both species are social wasps with small colonies (typically 10–30 workers at peak) that defend their nest actively when threatened. Their sting rates a 3.0 on the Schmidt sting pain index — notably higher than a yellowjacket's 2.0 — and unlike honey bees, paper wasps have a smooth stinger and can sting repeatedly. They are also genuinely beneficial: paper wasps are major predators of caterpillars and soft-bodied garden insects, earning them a place in the 'leave alone if possible' category when the nest is out of foot traffic.

When the nest is over a doorway, on a child's playset, or in any spot people routinely pass within a meter or two, that is a different calculus. This page covers everything you need to identify both NH paper wasps, understand how serious their sting is, and decide whether your nest warrants a call to a licensed professional.

New Hampshire context

Paper wasps in southern and central New Hampshire

Both the native northern paper wasp and the invasive European paper wasp are well established across southern and central New Hampshire — in Manchester, Nashua, Concord, Derry, Bedford, Salem, Hudson, and the surrounding Rockingham, Hillsborough, Merrimack, and Strafford county area. The native species is the paper wasp UNH Extension describes as 'a common New Hampshire species'; the European paper wasp has been spreading through the Northeast since its accidental introduction near Boston in 1978 and is now established in the state. Penn State Extension documents that in Michigan, European paper wasps have completely replaced northern paper wasps in some areas, and the same competitive pressure is evident in parts of New England. The NH colony calendar is governed by temperature and frost. Overwintered foundresses emerge once air temperatures exceed roughly 50°F — in southern NH that typically means late April through May. The colony expands through June and July, reaches peak size and defensiveness in August and early September (when cookout season and nest size overlap most dangerously), and collapses at the first hard frost. For Manchester and the southern tier of Anchor's service area, that first hard frost falls around October 19 (50% probability) or October 29 (80%), per NOAA 1991–2020 normals — roughly two to three weeks later than Concord or Keene. Manchester-area homeowners can realistically expect active paper-wasp colonies into late October. Foundresses overwinter in sheltered spots — inside wall voids, attics, behind siding and shutters, and under loose bark — which is why sluggish wasps appear indoors on warm fall days. Nests are NOT reused; every spring starts fresh with a single overwintered queen.

Species present in NH

Northern paper wasp (Polistes fuscatus)
European paper wasp (Polistes dominula)

Peak activity · August through mid-September

We serve these communities

ManchesterNashuaConcordDerryBedfordSalemHudsonAmherstAuburnGoffstownHooksettLitchfieldLoudonMilfordBristol

First-frost anchor: Manchester first hard frost ~Oct 19 (50%) / Oct 29 (80%) per NOAA 1991–2020 normals

UNH Cooperative Extension describes the northern paper wasp as 'a common New Hampshire species' and notes that mated females overwinter 'inside building walls, in attics, or under loose bark' — Resource000532.

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Field identification

How to identify paper wasps in New Hampshire — native vs. invasive

Paper wasps are slender, smooth-bodied wasps built very differently from the stocky yellowjacket. Three field marks will ID them in seconds — even in mid-flight.

Northern paper wasp

Also called: Brown paper wasp, Umbrella wasp

Found in New HampshireSocialModerate aggression

Scientific name: Polistes fuscatus
Family: Vespidae — subfamily Polistinae
Sociality: Social (colony)
Size: 15–21 mm
Coloration: Dark reddish-brown body with narrow yellow bands; cinnamon-toned abdominal markings; black antennae; long legs that dangle visibly in flight; brown wings
Range: Native throughout New Hampshire — the dominant native paper wasp, HIGH statewide prevalence; described by UNH Extension as 'a common New Hampshire species'
Nest style: Open, downward-facing single-layer paper comb on a short stalk (the 'umbrella'); attached to eaves, soffits, rafters, porch ceilings, and sheltered wood surfaces; NO outer envelope
Sting: Schmidt 3.0 — 'caustic and burning, distinctly bitter aftertaste, like spilling a beaker of hydrochloric acid on a paper cut' (Schmidt / Britannica); higher than a yellowjacket (2.0); can sting repeatedly
Beneficial role: Major predator of caterpillars and soft-bodied insects; minor pollinator

Colony size

~10–30 workers at peak

Social but smaller colonies than yellowjackets

Nest season

Founded late April–May; peaks August–September; collapses at frost

Males sting?

No — males lack stingers

Antennae

Black on the native northern paper wasp (Polistes fuscatus); bright orange or reddish on the invasive European paper wasp (Polistes dominula). Orange antennae are the single fastest tell for P. dominula — no other social wasp in North America has them.

Waist (petiole)

Conspicuously narrow and elongated — a long 'thread' connecting thorax and abdomen. This is noticeably more pronounced than on yellowjackets, which look chunky by comparison.

Legs

Long and slender; hang visibly below the body in flight ('dangling legs'). The single easiest flight-mode ID cue versus yellowjackets, which tuck their legs.

Abdomen

Tapered and elongated. Native northern paper wasp: dark reddish-brown with narrow yellow bands and cinnamon markings. European paper wasp: black with more extensive bright yellow bands — resembles a yellowjacket body at a glance, but antennae and leg behavior give it away.

Wings

Brown and translucent; held folded lengthwise at rest. Span roughly equal to body length. No metallic sheen.

Common look-alikes

Eastern yellowjacket (Vespula maculifrons)
How to tell: Yellowjackets are stockier and more compact with legs tucked against the body in flight; paper wasps are slender with dangling legs. Yellowjacket nests are enclosed in a papery envelope or hidden underground / in wall voids — never the open umbrella comb of a paper wasp. European paper wasps can fool you on color alone (both black-and-yellow), so always check legs in flight and nest structure.
Bald-faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata)
How to tell: Bald-faced hornets are larger (12–19 mm), black-and-white rather than yellow-banded, and build a large enclosed gray football-shaped aerial nest with a single bottom entrance. Paper wasp nests are always open, flat, and smaller. Bald-faced hornets are taxonomically a yellowjacket relative, not a true hornet — see /bald-faced-hornet/ for depth.
European paper wasp vs. northern paper wasp
How to tell: Check the antennae first: orange or reddish = European paper wasp (Polistes dominula); black = northern paper wasp (Polistes fuscatus). Body color also differs: European paper wasp is black with bright yellow markings and orange legs; northern paper wasp is predominantly reddish-brown with narrower yellow bands. Both build the same open umbrella comb, but the European species also nests readily inside man-made cavities.
European hornet (Vespa crabro)
How to tell: European hornets are much larger — workers ~25 mm, queens to 35 mm — brown-and-yellow (not reddish-brown or black-and-yellow like paper wasps), and are frequently seen flying at night, attracted to lights. They build large enclosed paper nests in tree cavities, wall voids, and attics. NH's only true hornet — see /bald-faced-hornet/ for hornet depth.

Native vs. invasive paper wasp in New Hampshire

Prevalence based on UNH Cooperative Extension survey data.

Species	Size	NH status	Prevalence	Typical nest
Northern paper wasp Polistes fuscatus	15–21 mm	Native	HIGH	Open umbrella comb under eaves, soffits, porch ceilings, barn rafters
European paper wasp Polistes dominula	12–18 mm	Invasive	Reported in NH	Umbrella comb; readily uses man-made cavities — pipes, grills, soffits, electrical boxes

Species

Size

NH status

Prevalence

Typical nest

Northern paper wasp

Polistes fuscatus

15–21 mm

Native

HIGH

Open umbrella comb under eaves, soffits, porch ceilings, barn rafters

European paper wasp

Polistes dominula

12–18 mm

Invasive

Reported in NH

Umbrella comb; readily uses man-made cavities — pipes, grills, soffits, electrical boxes

Common Questions

Frequently asked

References

Sources & further reading (12)

[1]
Britannica — Schmidt Sting Pain Index
encyclopedia · Paper wasp Schmidt 3.0 value and verbatim description; yellowjacket 2.0 · verified Jun 2026
[2]
Wikipedia — Schmidt Sting Pain Index
encyclopedia · Index history, species values, only bullet ant / tarantula hawk / warrior wasp at 4.0 · verified Jun 2026
[3]
Penn State Extension — European Paper Wasp
extension · Polistes dominula 1978 Boston/Cambridge introduction by G.C. Eickwort; orange antennae uniqueness; replacement of natives in Michigan; earlier worker production · verified Jun 2026
[4]
Animal Diversity Web — Polistes fuscatus
academic · Northern paper wasp size 15–21 mm; native range; biology · verified Jun 2026
[5]
Cornell CALS NYS IPM — Identifying Bees and Wasps
extension · Paper wasps warn without stinging; antenna coloration as ID cue; males lack stingers · verified Jun 2026
[6]
UNH Cooperative Extension — Controlling Wasps, Bees and Hornets Around Your Home
extension · Northern paper wasp as 'a common New Hampshire species'; NH overwintering sites (wall voids, attics, loose bark); after-dark treatment guidance · verified Jun 2026
[7]
Ohio State BYGL — Be Alert to European Paper Wasps
extension · Polistes dominula spread; earlier nesting season; cavity-nesting preference; 'paper wasps clad in yellowjacket clothing' · verified Jun 2026
[8]
Wikipedia — European Paper Wasp (Polistes dominula)
encyclopedia · P. dominula produces workers ~1 week earlier; co-foundress behavior; colony founding; nests not reused · verified Jun 2026
[9]
Wikipedia — Polistes fuscatus
encyclopedia · Northern paper wasp biology; single foundress per nest; nests not reused · verified Jun 2026
[10]
Baker & Potter 2020 — Invasive paper wasp turns urban pollinator gardens into ecological traps
academic · Polistes dominula as under-recognized predator of monarch butterfly larvae · verified Jun 2026
[11]
NOAA / The Old Farmer's Almanac — NH Frost Dates (Manchester / Concord, 1991–2020 normals)
gov · Manchester first hard frost ~Oct 19 (50%) / Oct 29 (80%); Concord late Sept–early Oct; NOAA 1991–2020 normals · verified Jun 2026
[12]
Northern New England Poison Center
medical · 24/7 poison control for NH/ME/VT; 1-800-222-1222 · verified Jun 2026

Written & reviewed by

Verified

Daniel Brady

NH-Licensed Pesticide Applicator · License #782664 (NHDAMF, RSA 430)

Daniel Brady is the New Hampshire–licensed applicator behind Anchor Pest Services, a family-owned pest control company serving the Manchester area since 2017.

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Last updated Jun 2026

Anchor Pest Services

Wasps gone — and they stay gone.

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Paper Wasps in New Hampshire — ID, Sting, Nest & Removal

Two paper wasps call New Hampshire home — and only one has orange antennae

Paper wasps in southern and central New Hampshire

How to identify paper wasps in New Hampshire — native vs. invasive

Northern paper wasp

Antennae

Waist (petiole)

Legs

Abdomen

Wings

Common look-alikes

Eastern yellowjacket (Vespula maculifrons)

Bald-faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata)

European paper wasp vs. northern paper wasp

European hornet (Vespa crabro)

Native vs. invasive paper wasp in New Hampshire

Frequently asked

Are paper wasps dangerous to kids and pets in New Hampshire?

Are paper wasps in New Hampshire?

What's the wasp with orange antennae on my house?

How bad is a paper wasp sting?

How do I tell the two NH paper wasps apart — native vs. European?

Do male paper wasps sting?

Do paper wasps reuse last year's nest?

What are paper wasps good for?

Should I remove a paper wasp nest myself?

When do paper wasps go away in New Hampshire?

Sources & further reading (12)

Wasps gone — and they stay gone.