Bug FAQNorthern Warrior Wasp
Synoeca septentrionalis · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Vespidae
Also called: Armadillo Wasp
Source: Wikipedia
The Northern Warrior Wasp is about 20 mm long and shows a dark metallic blue-black color, though some individuals appear reddish. The species forms new colonies by swarming, with larvae hatching about a week after the nest is finished and reaching adulthood roughly 30 days later; its sting ranks 4 on the Schmidt pain index, as painful as a bullet ant.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It has a dark blue-black metallic sheen, and some may be reddish or completely dark.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults are medium-sized, about 20 mm (0.79 in) long.
Source: Wikipedia
Does it bite or sting?
Its sting is extremely painful, ranking 4 out of 4 on the Schmidt sting pain index, comparable to a bullet ant.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Nests are built flat against tree trunks or limbs. Nests are typically located 1.7 to 6 m above the ground.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
New colonies are founded by large swarms of wasps traveling together. Larvae hatch about a week after the nest is completed and become adults roughly 30 days later.
Source: Wikipedia
Status: native in North America. Source: iNaturalist
More photos
Questions people ask
How painful is the sting of a Northern Warrior Wasp?
The sting is extremely painful, ranking 4 on the Schmidt pain index, similar to a bullet ant.
Source: Wikipedia
What does the nest look like and where is it placed?
The nest is a flat sheet attached to a tree trunk or limb, usually 1.7 to 6 m above ground.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Vespidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synoeca_septentrionalis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.