The founder and owner of a large cosmetics company, Janice Starlin (Susan Cabot), is disturbed when her firm's sales begin to drop after it becomes apparent to her customer base that she is aging.

Janice continues her clandestine use of the serum and sheds 20 years in a single weekend, but soon discovers that she is periodically transformed into a murderous, wasp-like creature.

After Janice attacks several of her employees, Zinthrop throws a jar of carbolic acid at her face and she falls to her death out of a high window.

According to Roger Corman, he suggested the idea of a wasp serum to writer Leo Gordon because "that sounded more exciting" than using the royal jelly from bees.

[16] Charles Stinson of the Los Angeles Times wrote: "Leo Gordon's script is smoothly urbane with nice surprising little touches of humor here and there.

Slim, intense, brunette Susan Cabot, who always impresses, does excellently nuanced work as the neurotic lady with the worries and the wasps".

[17] The Monthly Film Bulletin stated: "The earlier, more realistic scenes of this modest shocker, which is slow to get going, are pretty unlikely, while the later bouts of fantasy are ludicrous rather than terrifying.

[20] Allmovie gave a negative review, criticizing the film's "ludicrous" monster costume, special effects, and low budget.

[22] In the Courage the Cowardly Dog episode "Night of the Weremole", Muriel can be seen watching The Wasp Woman, which she describes as "her favorite show".