Wasps interact with wood primarily for construction, not consumption. They process wood fibers to create the paper-like material used in building their nests. This behavior is distinct from wood-eating pests like termites or certain wood-boring insects. The material provides a sturdy and protective home for their colonies.
Why Wasps Collect Wood Fiber
Wasps, particularly social species, gather wood fibers as a building material for their nests. They scrape and chew weathered wood with their strong mandibles. This scraped wood is then mixed with their saliva, which contains enzymes that break down the fibers into a soft, pliable pulp resembling papier-mâché.
The pulp hardens as it dries, forming the characteristic paper-like structure of their nests. This material is water-resistant and provides insulation for the colony. Wasps are solely harvesting and transforming the wood into a construction medium.
Common Wasps That Process Wood
Among the most common wasps that process wood are Paper Wasps (genus Polistes) and Hornets (genus Vespa). Paper wasps construct nests from this paper-like substance. Their nests often have an open, umbrella-like shape with visible hexagonal cells, typically found in sheltered locations like under eaves, on door frames, or in dense vegetation. These wasps often source wood from weathered fences, decks, and unpainted wood surfaces.
Hornets, such as the European hornet (Vespa crabro), also create nests from chewed wood fibers mixed with saliva. European hornets frequently build their large, often football-shaped nests in dark, protected cavities like hollow trees, attics, sheds, or wall voids. Unlike wood-boring insects like carpenter bees, wasps do not tunnel into wood for nesting.
Identifying and Protecting Your Wood
Signs of wasp wood collection appear as superficial scraping or grooving on the surface of weathered or unpainted wooden structures. This damage is usually cosmetic and does not compromise the structural integrity of the wood. In contrast, other wood pests like horntail wasps create tunnels and exit holes as their larvae develop within the wood, which can lead to more significant damage.
To protect wooden structures from wasp collection, several non-lethal methods exist. Painting or sealing exposed wood surfaces deters wasps, as they prefer untreated or weathered wood for gathering fibers. Applying wood hardeners or certain oils, such as tung oil, also makes surfaces less appealing for scraping. Sealing cracks and holes in wooden furniture or structures eliminates potential starting points for fiber collection. Natural deterrents like planting mint, eucalyptus, or citronella, or using essential oil sprays, help repel wasps from specific areas.