[Joanna Savage]

Immediately after  I had posted my complaints about wasps it occurred to me that I might not be talking about paperwasps, the subject of the thread. The wasps here live in tunnels in the faces of the terraces, often in association with tree roots. The entrances to the tunnels are about the same diameter as those made by voles, so I forget to be aware and the colony is established before I can take remedial action. I don't really want to put a fire into the tree base.
Perhaps there is an opportunity for some sort of biological control if wasps and voles are using the same tunnels. But which of the two  would I try to control?

[helenaviolet]

Joanna does this sound familiar to you? - The European Wasp, Vespula germanica is an imported pest species here in Australia. (It is similar in appearance to Jorun's pic of Polistes dominula; black & yellow stripes.) These wasps generally nest in the ground. I once ran over a nest with the lawn mower with very painful consequences. They present a problem in parks and gardens where people visit whilst eating fruit or carrying sugary drinks. The wasps are attracted to fruit and sometimes crawl inside drink containers; dangerous if you happened to swallow one!

[JTh]

I believe you are right, Helena, the Vespula spp. (especially the females) are much more aggressive, and they make their nests in the ground or in hollows. I read that 'Though avoidance is not always possible, do not swing at the Yellow Jacket as they can be easily provoked to attack.' My sister was nearly killed by these when she was three years old. She was staying with an aunt while my parents went to Sweden for a couple of days. She happened to sit on the ground near a nest, and could not get away, because she was paralysed from polio when she was 1 1/2 years old and could not walk, she was stung by more than 40 wasps, which is a lot for a small child.

[helenaviolet]

Jorun, that was a terrible experience re "yellow Jackets" and your sister. The entrance to the nest would not have been easy to see; just a small hole in the ground.

To stop paper wasps from building their nests under garden tables - rub a bar of soap over the surface under the table (information found over the internet). This should last for a whole season.