How many kinds of wasps are in New Hampshire?

New Hampshire has well over 1,000 wasp species — but nearly all of them are solitary and go completely unnoticed by most people. University of Maryland Extension notes that even in a single state, 'very few are social; the majority are solitary.' The handful of species that actually concern homeowners are the social ones: northern and European paper wasps, eastern yellowjackets, bald-faced hornets, and European hornets. These are the colony-builders that defend a nest, and they account for essentially every sting and professional removal call in the state. The rest — mud daubers, great black wasps, cicada killers, potter wasps — are docile and beneficial.

What is the difference between a social wasp and a solitary wasp?

Social wasps live in colonies with a queen and hundreds to thousands of workers who build and defend a communal nest. Disturb it and multiple workers sting repeatedly — their stingers are smooth, not barbed, so they do not die. Solitary wasps have no colony to defend. Each female builds her own individual nest, hunts prey to provision it, and has no nestmates to recruit. UMD Extension: solitary wasps 'do not sting in defense, but only to capture prey; you'd have to handle or sit on one to get stung.' Social vs solitary is the most useful frame for deciding whether any wasp warrants action.

Which wasps in New Hampshire actually sting people?

Virtually every NH sting comes from social wasps: northern and European paper wasps, eastern yellowjackets, bald-faced hornets, and European hornets. These species defend colonies with repeated stings — paper wasps rate Schmidt 3.0, yellowjackets and hornets 2.0. Solitary species — mud daubers, great black wasps, cicada killers, potter wasps — sting only if physically handled; males of several cannot sting at all. The practical rule: if it has a colony and a defended nest, it can sting. If it is a single wasp foraging or digging without nestmates to call, treat it as harmless.

Is the giant wasp in my New Hampshire yard a murder hornet?

Almost certainly not. The northern giant hornet (*Vespa mandarinia*) was declared eradicated from Washington state and the entire US on December 18, 2024, after three years without a confirmed detection — and it was never in New Hampshire or New England. The giant wasp in a NH yard in summer is almost certainly an eastern cicada killer (*Sphecius speciosus*) — New England's largest solitary wasp at up to 50 mm — which is harmless. A large wasp flying at night around exterior lights is more likely a European hornet (*Vespa crabro*). Neither warrants the alarm the 'murder hornet' label once generated.

What is the largest wasp in New Hampshire?

The eastern cicada killer (*Sphecius speciosus*) is the largest wasp a New Hampshire homeowner is likely to see in the yard, reaching 30–50 mm — roughly twice the width of a US quarter. It is solitary and docile; females rarely sting, and males cannot sting at all. The European hornet (*Vespa crabro*) is the largest social wasp in NH, with workers around 25 mm and queens reaching 35 mm, making it the largest true hornet established in New Hampshire. Despite its size, the cicada killer triggers more alarm than the European hornet because it appears in lawns in July and is sometimes mistaken for the now-eradicated northern giant hornet.

Should I kill or treat every wasp I find?

No — and for solitary wasps the answer is almost always to leave them alone. Mud daubers, great black wasps, cicada killers, and potter wasps are beneficial predators of caterpillars, spiders, cicadas, grasshoppers, and garden pests, and they pose essentially no sting risk to people who do not handle them. Treatment is warranted when you have a confirmed social-wasp colony (paper wasp, yellowjacket, or hornet) located in a high-traffic area — over a door, near a play area, or inside a wall void. Anchor Pest Services confirms the species before any treatment, and honey-bee colonies are never treated — they are referred to a licensed NH beekeeper for live relocation.

Which wasps are good for my New Hampshire garden?

Most of them. Paper wasps are significant caterpillar predators and help control garden pests throughout the season. Mud daubers (*Sceliphron caementarium*) hunt spiders — including black widows where present — and are important in keeping spider populations in check. Great black wasps (*Sphex pensylvanicus*) provision their burrows with katydids and grasshoppers and are significant late-summer pollinators of milkweed, mountain mint, and goldenrod. Cicada killers control annual cicada populations. Potter wasps and scoliid wasps prey on caterpillars and beetle grubs respectively. The only solitary-wasp impact worth noting is that the invasive European paper wasp is an under-recognized predator of monarch butterfly larvae in pollinator gardens.

Are wasps dangerous to kids and pets in New Hampshire?

Social-wasp nests are a real hazard to children and pets in late summer when colonies are at peak size. Paper wasps, yellowjackets, and hornets sting repeatedly; a disturbed nest near a play area can deliver many stings before anyone can retreat. Solitary wasps — mud daubers, great black wasps, cicada killers — present almost no risk; children or pets would need to physically handle one to provoke a sting. For multiple stings, a known allergy, or signs of systemic reaction (throat swelling, difficulty breathing), call 911. The Northern New England Poison Center handles NH/ME/VT 24/7 at 1-800-222-1222.

When do wasps go away in New Hampshire?

Social-wasp colonies collapse at the first hard frost — workers die, and only newly mated queens survive by dispersing to overwinter in sheltered sites. In Manchester and southern NH, NOAA 1991–2020 normals put that first frost around October 19 (50%) or October 29 (80%) — two to three weeks later than Concord, which frosts in late September. Solitary wasps follow their own shorter windows: cicada killers July–August, great black wasps mid-to-late summer. Nests are not reused; every spring a new foundress builds fresh. Waiting for frost on a nest over a doorway means enduring peak-size colony activity for another month.

Who removes wasp nests near Manchester, Nashua, and Concord, NH?

Anchor Pest Services covers all 15 cities in its southern and central New Hampshire service area — Manchester, Nashua, Concord, Derry, Bedford, Salem, Hudson, Amherst, Auburn, Goffstown, Hooksett, Litchfield, Loudon, Milford, and Bristol — across Rockingham, Hillsborough, Merrimack, and Strafford counties. Every wasp call begins with species confirmation: paper wasps, yellowjackets, and hornets are treated professionally; honey-bee colonies are referred to a licensed NH beekeeper for live relocation and never chemically treated. Anchor's one-time Wasp and Hornet removal is a flat one-time rate regardless of nest location or colony size, with an approximately 30-day re-treat guarantee. Call for a quote. NH commercial applicator license #782664, category F1, RSA 430 via NHDAMF. Member NEPMA.

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

|Reviewed by Daniel Brady

Types of Wasps in New Hampshire — Identification Guide

Identification

New Hampshire has over 1,000 wasp species, but only a handful are social wasps that live in colonies and defend a nest — paper wasps, yellowjackets, and hornets. These social species cause virtually every sting and nest-removal call in the state. The large, intimidating wasps homeowners panic about — mud daubers, great black wasps, cicada killers — are solitary, docile, and almost never need treatment. The fastest sorter: one hole with a steady stream of defensive wasps is a social ground nest that warrants attention; scattered holes each with a calm single wasp are harmless solitary diggers you can leave alone.

Quick facts

NH wasp species: 1,000+ (nearly all solitary)University of Maryland Extension: 'Very few are social; the majority are solitary'
Social wasps — the stingers: Paper wasps, yellowjackets, hornetsColony defenders; can sting repeatedly; cause virtually all removal calls
Solitary wasps — docile: Mud daubers, great black wasp, cicada killer, potter waspsNo colony to defend; sting only if handled; UMD Extension
Largest NH stinging insect: European hornet (~25 mm worker, queens to 35 mm)Vespa crabro — NH's only true hornet; en.wikipedia.org

NH wasp species
1,000+ (nearly all solitary)
University of Maryland Extension: 'Very few are social; the majority are solitary'
Social wasps — the stingers
Paper wasps, yellowjackets, hornets
Colony defenders; can sting repeatedly; cause virtually all removal calls
Solitary wasps — docile
Mud daubers, great black wasp, cicada killer, potter wasps
No colony to defend; sting only if handled; UMD Extension
Largest NH stinging insect
European hornet (~25 mm worker, queens to 35 mm)
Vespa crabro — NH's only true hornet; en.wikipedia.org

Overview

The two kinds of wasps in New Hampshire — and why that difference matters

Most people searching 'types of wasps' have encountered something large, buzzing, and alarming and want to know whether they should be worried. The honest answer almost always comes down to a single question: is it social or solitary?

Social wasps — paper wasps (*Polistes*), yellowjackets (*Vespula*), and hornets (*Dolichovespula* and *Vespa*) — live in colonies with a queen and sterile female workers. They build and defend a communal nest, and because their stingers are smooth and unbarbed, they can sting repeatedly. University of Maryland Extension is direct about when they sting: 'They only use their stinger when a nest is being defended or when workers are protecting themselves or their food source from a perceived threat.' These are the species behind nearly every nest-removal call Anchor handles in Manchester, Nashua, Concord, and across southern New Hampshire.

Solitary wasps are the wasps homeowners fear most — the big, glossy, low-flying giants drilling into your lawn or plastering mud tubes on your garage wall. But as UMD Extension explains: 'Solitary wasps… are non-aggressive and do not sting in defense, but only to capture prey; you'd have to handle or sit on one to get stung.' No colony to defend means essentially no sting risk. Mud daubers, the great black wasp, cicada killers, potter wasps, and scoliid wasps are docile, beneficial predators that almost never warrant treatment.

The UMD field-test sorter captures the difference perfectly: one hole with a steady, defensive stream of wasps entering and exiting is a social ground nest — a yellowjacket colony that can grow to thousands of workers and should be professionally treated. Many separate holes with one or two calm wasps around each is a harmless population of solitary diggers that you can leave alone.

This hub is your guide to every wasp you are actually likely to encounter in New Hampshire — with honest 'is it here?' verdicts for every species, the social/solitary frame that competitors routinely skip, and a clear 'treat vs. leave alone' read for each one. Yellowjacket and hornet depth lives in the sister hubs at /yellowjackets/ and /bald-faced-hornet/ — this page routes you there rather than duplicating it.

New Hampshire context

Wasps in southern and central New Hampshire

Southern and central New Hampshire hosts a full complement of both social and solitary wasp species. The social wasps that drive nearly every removal call across Anchor's 15-city service area are the native northern paper wasp (*Polistes fuscatus*), the invasive European paper wasp (*Polistes dominula*, spreading in NH since the 1980s–90s), eastern yellowjackets (*Vespula maculifrons*), bald-faced hornets (*Dolichovespula maculata*), and European hornets (*Vespa crabro*). The large solitary wasps homeowners sometimes panic over — black-and-yellow mud daubers, great black wasps, and eastern cicada killers — are all present in the state and essentially harmless. NH's wasp season is anchored to temperature at both ends. Social-wasp foundresses emerge once air temperatures exceed roughly 50°F — in southern NH that means late April through May. Colonies expand through June and July, peak in August and early September when conflict and nest sizes are highest, and collapse at the first hard frost. Manchester and the southern service area see that first hard frost around October 19 (50% probability) or October 29 (80%), per NOAA 1991–2020 normals — roughly two to three weeks later than Concord or inland NH. Solitary wasps follow their own windows: cicada killers in July–August, great black wasps mid-to-late summer, mud daubers throughout the warm season. The stone walls, cedar shingles, and older housing stock of Manchester, Nashua, Concord, Derry, and the surrounding Rockingham, Hillsborough, Merrimack, and Strafford county communities are ideal overwintering habitat for social-wasp foundresses — which is why fall sealing and spring inspection matter for NH homeowners specifically.

Species present in NH

Northern paper wasp (Polistes fuscatus)
European paper wasp (Polistes dominula)
Eastern yellowjacket (Vespula maculifrons)
Bald-faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata)
European hornet (Vespa crabro)
Black-and-yellow mud dauber (Sceliphron caementarium)
Great black wasp (Sphex pensylvanicus)
Steel-blue cricket hunter (Chlorion aerarium)
Eastern cicada killer (Sphecius speciosus)
Fraternal potter wasp (Eumenes fraternus)
Double-banded scoliid (Scolia bicincta)

Peak activity · Mid-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; Concord and inland NH frost in late September to early October

UNH Cooperative Extension covers NH wasp identification, overwintering sites, and safe-removal guidance in Resource000532 — the primary state-level authority cited throughout this hub.

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Service Area Map

Southern New Hampshire

Field identification

The two kinds of wasps in New Hampshire

Wasps you will actually see 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
Eastern yellowjacket Vespula maculifrons	12 worker / 18 queen mm	Native	HIGH	Ground burrows, abandoned rodent holes, stone-wall bases; sometimes wall voids
Bald-faced hornet Dolichovespula maculata	12–19 mm	Native	MEDIUM	Enclosed gray paper football nest — aerial in shrubs, trees, or under eaves
European hornet Vespa crabro	25 worker / 35 queen mm	Introduced	Present, localized in NH	Enclosed paper nest in tree cavities, wall voids, attics; night-active flier
Black-and-yellow mud dauber Sceliphron caementarium	24–28 mm	Native	HIGH	Mud cells plastered to walls, eaves, sheds, barns — the 'gritty mud clumps' on your siding
Great black wasp Sphex pensylvanicus	20–35 mm	Native	MEDIUM	Single underground burrow in compact or sandy soil
Steel-blue cricket hunter Chlorion aerarium	20–25 mm	Native	LOW	Single underground burrow, often near great black wasp burrows
Eastern cicada killer Sphecius speciosus	30–50 mm	Range-expanding	LOW	Single soil burrow 10–20 inches deep with a soil mound at the entrance
Fraternal potter wasp Eumenes fraternus	13–17 mm	Native	MEDIUM	Tiny clay 'jug' or mud pot on twigs, shutters, and walls — sealed with a single wasp larva inside
Double-banded scoliid Scolia bicincta	21–25 mm	Native	LOW	Parasitizes beetle grubs in turf and soil — no constructed nest

Quick ID quiz

Use this quick sorter to identify what is in your yard or on your house and decide whether you need professional help. Answer the questions in order — each choice routes you to the right answer or the next question.

Are multiple wasps actively flying in and out of a single hole or entrance, and do they get aggressive when you approach?

Common Questions

Frequently asked

References

Sources & further reading (17)

[1]
UMD Extension — Predatory Wasps
extension · Social vs solitary distinction; solitary wasps sting only prey not people; field-test sorter (one hole with defensive stream = social; scattered holes with calm single wasps = harmless solitary) · verified Jun 2026
[2]
UMD Extension — Social Wasps (Yellowjackets, Hornets, and Paper Wasps)
extension · Social wasp nest defense behavior; stinging only when nest threatened or food source contested · verified Jun 2026
[3]
UNH Cooperative Extension — Controlling Wasps, Bees and Hornets Around Your Home
extension · NH paper wasp ID; northern paper wasp as 'a common New Hampshire species'; overwintering sites; after-dark treatment guidance · verified Jun 2026
[4]
Penn State Extension — European Paper Wasp
extension · Polistes dominula 1978 Boston introduction by G.C. Eickwort; orange antennae uniqueness among NA social wasps; replacement of native paper wasps in some areas · verified Jun 2026
[5]
Britannica — Schmidt Sting Pain Index
encyclopedia · Paper wasp Schmidt 3.0 value and verbatim description; yellowjacket and bald-faced hornet 2.0 · verified Jun 2026
[6]
Wikipedia — Schmidt Sting Pain Index
encyclopedia · Index species values; only bullet ant, tarantula hawk, and warrior wasp at 4.0; no verified Schmidt value for executioner wasp · verified Jun 2026
[7]
WSDA / USDA — Northern Giant Hornet Eradicated (Dec 18, 2024)
gov · Vespa mandarinia declared eradicated from Washington and the entire US on December 18, 2024; never established in NH or New England · verified Jun 2026
[8]
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 September to early October; NOAA 1991–2020 normals · verified Jun 2026
[9]
Wikipedia — Sphecius speciosus (Eastern Cicada Killer)
encyclopedia · Cicada killer size 30–50 mm; New England's largest solitary wasp; female rarely stings, males have no stinger · verified Jun 2026
[10]
Wikipedia — Sceliphron caementarium (Black-and-Yellow Mud Dauber)
encyclopedia · Mud dauber size 24–28 mm; native, HIGH NH prevalence; only US Sceliphron with yellow-marked legs; spider predator · verified Jun 2026
[11]
Wikipedia — Sphex pensylvanicus (Great Black Wasp)
encyclopedia · Great black wasp size 20–35 mm; glossy black with smoky blue-iridescent wings; solitary digger; katydid provisioning; pollinator role · verified Jun 2026
[12]
Animal Diversity Web — Polistes fuscatus
academic · Northern paper wasp size 15–21 mm; native NH range; biology · verified Jun 2026
[13]
Massachusetts Cicadas — Cicada Killers of New England
forum · NH cicada killer records extremely sparse; Plaistow NH homeowner report; data-gap confirmation for northern range edge · verified Jun 2026
[14]
NHDAMF Division of Pesticide Control — Pesticide Rules (Pes 100–1100)
gov · RSA 430 pesticide regulation; Category F1 (Industrial/Institutional/Structural/Health-Related) applicator license definition; Anchor license #782664 · verified Jun 2026
[15]
NEPMA (New England Pest Management Association)
industry · Regional pest management association (founded 1933, 6 NE states); Anchor membership · verified Jun 2026
[16]
Northern New England Poison Center
medical · 24/7 poison control for NH, ME, and VT; 1-800-222-1222 · verified Jun 2026
[17]
Buck, Marshall & Cheung 2008 — Identification Atlas of the Vespidae of the Northeastern Nearctic Region
academic · Authoritative NE Vespidae taxonomy; species identification; NH-region Vespidae roster · 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.

Same-day service across Southern New Hampshire. NH-licensed #782664, family-owned since 2017. We handle ground, wall, and aerial nests with EPA-registered products and an approximately 30-day re-treat guarantee.

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