Know Before You Mow: These Are Common Nest Locations For Maine Bald Faced Wasps

If you've ever been stung by a bee or a wasp, you know the agony that it can cause. If you happen to be allergic to any of these pests, then you know all to well the panic that sets in after you feel that familiar bard pierce your skin.

Over the years, I've been stung more times than I can count and, while I'm not actually allergic to bees, my doctor did prescribe me an Epi-Pen after I ran over a yellow jacket nest with my ATV and got stung about two dozen times.

But out of all of the different little sh*ts that have stung me over the years, nothing has hurt more than the sting of a bald-faced wasp. So much so that I've read countless articles and watched dozens of videos on them.

Throughout the years I've learned that these large wasps are actually part of the yellow jacket family, they just have a different 'paint job'. Additionally, they are extremely aggressive and don't die after just one sting. And since their stingers aren't barbed, they can and WILL sting you multiple times.

So you're saying they're wicked aggressive, eh?

If you ever get close to their nests they will defend with with their lives. They're on of the only stinging insects that will literally chase you a great distance and continue attacking if they find you threatening enough.

For the last three years in a row, these stupid things have built massive nests INSIDE the cover of the propane tanks that fuel my house. And every year for the last three years I've been stung while mowing near them because I always forget to check- yes, this year included.

So it all got me thinking, where else do bald-faced wasps like to build their big, gray papery nests?

According to the Nature Mapping Foundation,

In the spring, the queen bald-faced hornet gets to work like a tiny construction foreman, chewing up wood fibers to build her nest. She’ll snag material from trees, fences, or even the side of your house if you're not looking.

By the time she’s done, the thing looks like a giant gray paper football hanging from a tree branch, the eaves of your roof, or pretty much anywhere inconvenient. And yeah, by mid-summer, it can be the size of a basketball. Not something you wanna surprise with the lawnmower.

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So whether it's under your deck, the eves of your home, you child's outdoor playhouse or in your propane tank covers, you should always be double and triple-checking these hidden little spots for any signs of a nest. And if you choose to get rid of it, do so with caution!