Augusta's River Region Chapter GNPS

Whoa! I had no idea we had a native chocolate alternative!

Calm down, it can’t sting you through your phone! 🤣

Guinea Paper Wasps (Polistes exclamans) are common in doorways across the South from spring through autumn. They also nest in bushes. Fortunately for us, these wasps are quite docile and seldom sting people unless there is a perceived threat to their nest.

When possible, it’s best to just leave them alone….live and let live. Why? Guinea Paper Wasps are beneficial to the local environment! They pollinate native plants such as Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens), milkweeds (Asclepias spp.), and goldenrods (Solidago spp.). The wasps also capture a wide range of caterpillars to feed their larvae, including farm and garden pests such as fall armyworms (Spodoptera frugiperda).

The more you know…🌈