One day, out of idle curiosity, I worked my finger between the protective grill of one of those things. *** ZAP! ** *
Um, yeah, I think that could kill a wasp. In fact, I think I’d rather be stung by a wasp than do that again.
I have one that works on 2 x D size batteries. packs a bit of a kick. Flies, mozzies and small moths disappear in a crackle, however big moths, bees and wasps take a bit more punishment. It tends to stun them not kill them but if you give a decent forehand swipe along with the zap, by the time their head is clear they aren’t near you.
For a party trick, try touching the electrified grid with the tip of your tongue. Tingly.
What I have always called yellow jackets are the Black and yellow flying bug. The look somewhat like a bee. they can sting or bite you. That is what my family have been calling yellow jacket for over 70 years.
They go after sweet stuff and meat. If you are eating outside they will join you for your dinner and chasing them away can get you stung. I have seen them live in the ground or make large mud nests.
What I have always called wasps some would also call mud daubers. they make small nest of mud from 3/4 in to 3 inches around. and hang down from where they attach them. Their wings are thinner you can see through them Their middle part of the body is very narrow and round like a straw. If I could figure out how I would post a picture.
The thing I like about them is they are not aggressive. While trimming my roses if I drop my hand and hit one it just flys off. What I call a yellow jacket would have stung me. We use to have nests of the yellow jackets in the area so we could not eat outside until after dark. After the city started releasing the wasp that I am use to the yellow jackets have gone away. Now we can enjoy our back yard.
The two insects are very different.
So after almost 70 years I find out that yellow jackets are really wasps, interesting.
I looked up mud daubers, and I can see why you’d be much more welcoming to those critters than to yellow jackets. I think wasps are a lot like snakes, in that there are a few mean, dangerous types and other non-dangerous types.
I think most people mean “nasty, mean flying insect thing to be avoided at all costs” when they say “wasp”. At least, everywhere I’ve been. Maybe it’s just differences in regional terminology.
When hey first started showing up I wasn’t happy. I thought they would be a problem. But after noticing that with the “wasp” coming the yellow jackets were going. It became sorta OK. then as I watch them I realized they were not dangerous and kind of funny to watch.
What city is releasing mud-daubers? How well is it working to get rid of the evil ones? I’m allergic. 
You can read more about wasps here; there are many, many different kinds of wasps.
For maximum terror factor, be sure to check out the Asian giant hornet, the paranoid gun nut/barbarian raider of the insect world. It’s got a 3-inch wingspan, a 1/4-inch stinger, and it kills several dozen people every year in Japan. They make their living by raiding honeybee hives, killing all the adults by biting their heads off, and then carting off the larvae for food.