You have either yellow paper wasps or mud daubers. The nests are similar. The water spray is okay but do not get too close because they will come after you if you appear to present a threat to them. The paper wasp is pale yellow. The mud dauber has black markings. After removing the nests, scrape the area with something like a putty knife, then disinfectant the nest location. The wasps seem to prefer high walls under eaves but may also be found under dense plants like trailing rosemary.

For more information see
http://cals.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/html/t-tips/bugs/wasp.htm

For photos see:
http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb0643/eb0643.pdf

Olin Miller, Master Gardener Volunteer
Maricopa County AZ
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wrote:
> Roxane, 85037,
>
>> I live in Phoenix. We used a water jet to destroy a wasp nest high in a protected area of our out side entry. The 6 larvae inside were magenta, almost an inch long. The nest was about 2" x 3 " and looked like a mud wasp nest. What was it? I cannot find anything on the internet! Now I wish I had taken a picture.
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