Paper Wasp Control in Boerne, TX
In Boerne, paper wasps usually announce themselves as a small gray comb, open on the bottom like a showerhead, stuck under an eave, a porch ceiling or a garage overhang with a few slim wasps standing on it. If the nest is somewhere nobody walks, it can often stay; if it hangs over a door, a patio or a spot you can only reach from a ladder, have it treated before the colony fills out in summer. Call or text (210) 281-1064, or book online, to set up a visit.
Why do newer houses here collect so many nests? #
Boerne is a young housing market. Census survey data for 2020 to 2024 shows that 35.9% of the city's homes were built in 2010 or later, and more than two-thirds date from 2000 on (Census ACS). New construction brings plenty of soffit, eave and covered porch, and those sheltered overhangs are where Texas A&M AgriLife says paper wasps build most often.
The town keeps adding roofs, too. The Census Bureau's July 2024 estimate puts the population at 22,712, up from a 2020 base of 17,864 (Census estimates). Each spring's comb is new, and the queen frequently picks a spot near last season's; the old comb is abandoned, so it is the sheltered corner that draws her back.
Paper wasp, red wasp, or something else? #
- Paper wasp: slender, 3/4 to 1 inch, pinched waist, smoky dark wings folded lengthwise. Reddish-orange to dark brown, often with yellow marks.
- Red wasp: rusty red all over, but still a paper wasp with the same open comb. See red wasp control.
- Yellowjacket: about 1/2 inch, black and yellow, with its comb hidden in a closed paper ball or underground. See yellowjacket control.
- Mud dauber: builds tubes of dried mud, not paper.
A paper wasp comb is one layer of six-sided cells on a single stalk, and AgriLife says a mature colony usually holds 20 to 30 adults. The wasps hunt caterpillars, and many gardeners count them as allies, so a comb on a back fence or a far shed eave can usually stay. One beside a door, a pool gate, a swing set or a window you open should go. For biology and life cycle, read our paper wasp guide.
When should you look for nests around the house? #
- March through May: a lone queen starts the comb. LSU AgCenter notes that knocking down an early nest works while she is the only wasp on it.
- Summer: workers hatch and the comb grows. A wasp that turns toward you and waves its front legs is giving a warning.
- Late summer into fall: the colony raises males and new queens, then dwindles.
- Winter: young queens hole up in peaked attics and chimneys, and a mild afternoon can bring a few into the kitchen. AgriLife treats these strays as a nuisance rather than a threat; swat one or carry it out.
What to do now, and what to skip #
Do:
- Check eaves, light fixtures, porch ceilings and the underside of rails once a week in spring.
- If you treat a small, low nest yourself, AgriLife's Wizzie Brown suggests early morning or just before dark, with a spray that reaches 8 to 10 feet (Insects in the City).
- Give the colony up to two days to die off completely before the comb comes down, and wash the stalk scar so the scent fades.
Skip:
- Ladder work. AgriLife's wasp bulletin says ladder jobs call for protective clothing and practice that most homeowners lack (E-239).
- Any do-it-yourself attempt if someone at home has a heart condition or a venom allergy.
How Pest Trappers handles paper wasps in Boerne #
A technician checks the soffits, porch ceilings, garage overhangs, attic vents, sheds and fence lines, then tells you which combs are worth treating and which can stay. They explain the options for each nest and apply any product strictly by its label. You get a price after that inspection, not before. The company is Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549), a family-owned firm holding a Texas Department of Agriculture business license. If someone in the household reacts badly to stings, mention it when you book; the office confirms the time with you. For other pests in town, see our Boerne service page.