There are four kinds of wasp common in Georgia: yellow jackets, mud daubers, paper wasps, and bald-faced hornets (for information on bald-faced hornets, see hornets). Yellow jackets are, as their name suggests, predominately yellow with black markings. Paper wasps can be black, red, black and yellow, or black and red. The most common type of mud dauber in Georgia, the pipe organ mud dauber, is solid black; other types of mud dauber are black and yellow or blue. Wasps usually grow no larger than 1.25".

Yellow jackets and paper wasps build aerial nests out of chewed wood and plant fibers; yellow jackets will also burrow into the ground, usually in moist or muddy areas. Left undisturbed, a wasp nest may house up to 250 wasps at the end of the summer. Mud daubers, which are not social (that is, they do not live in groups), do not build nests at all, but will construct mud tubes in which they lay their eggs.

The sting of a wasp is not dangerous to those without allergies to the venom. The wound will redden and swell, and may burn for a few hours, but generally no medication or medical is necessary. You may want to apply a cooling cream or ice to ease the pain.

All types of wasp will attack if agitated; however, only the yellow jacket is aggressive. Nests can usually be removed with little or no danger, though precautions should be taken, such as applying an insecticide prior to removing the nest, and knocking it down with a pole or long stick so as to avoid any live wasps that may emerge.

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