Pest Identification And Information

Bees, Wasps, Hornets

FACTS:

Wasps and Bees are considered to be beneficial insects; the fact that they can sting causes much fear in homeowners, therefore the need for them to be controlled.

Wasps, in particular, can become a problem in autumn when they may disrupt many outdoor activities. In almost all cases it is Wasp activity or nests that the homeowner will notice.

Oftentimes people will mistakenly call these stinging insects "Bees", Bees and Wasps are not the same. Both Bees and most Wasps are “social” insects meaning that they live in colonies ruled by queens and maintained by workers, however, they look and behave differently. It is important to distinguish between these insects because different methods may be necessary to control them.

IDENTIFICATION:

WASPS:

The Wasp family includes; Yellow Jackets, Hornets, Paper Wasps (umbrella Wasps), and other, solitary wasps which usually pose no danger. Wasps have a slender body with a narrow waist, slender, cylindrical legs, and appear smoothed-skinned and shiny. Yellow jackets, bald-faced Hornets, and Paper Wasps are the most common types of social Wasps encountered by people

    Yellow Jackets

• Most have a typical black and yellow color pattern —hence the name

• Some species might be white and black, some are marked with red

• The smallest of the vespid wasps, about ½ inch, queens about 25% larger

    Hornets

1. Bald-Faced Hornet

   1. Gets its name from its largely black color, but mostly white face

   2. Large sized about ¾ inch

2. European Hornet

   1. Brown with yellow abdominal stripes with a pale face

   2. Very large ¾ to 1½ inch

    Paper Wasps

• Gets its name from the paper like material of which it constructs its nest

• Sometimes called umbrella wasps due to the shape and structure of its nest

• Brownish with yellow markings, some with red markings

    Solitary Wasps (not social, do not live in colonies)

1. Cicada Killer

   1. Very large 1 - 1⅝

   2. Black to rusty color with yellow markings on 1^st 3 abdominal segments.

2. Digger Wasps

   1. Very large ⅞ - 2, robust and hairy

   2. Black in color with bands of red, yellow and/or white

3. Mud Daubers

   1. Large about ½ - 1+

   2. Black with pale markings may have a metallic luster

   3. Very slender in appearance

BEES:

Bees are robust-bodied and very hairy compared with Wasps. Their hind legs are flattened for collecting and transporting pollen. Honeybees are rarely a problem for homeowners; Bumblebees however, can be a persistent concern.

    Honeybees

• About ½ to 5/8 inches long

• Thick wasted

• Orangish brown to black in color

• Body mostly covered with branched, pale hairs, most dense on the thorax

    Bumblebees

• About ¼ to 1 inch long

Nesting Sites

Yellow Jackets, Bald-faced Hornets, and Paper Wasps nest in quiet, out of the way places. Unfortunately, in urban areas this may conflict with people and their interests. Their nests are made from a papery pulp comprised of chewed-up wood fibers mixed with saliva.

Yellow jackets and bald-faced hornet nests consist of a series of rounded combs stacked in tiers. These combs are covered by an envelope consisting of several layers of pulp. Paper Wasps construct only one comb without any protective envelope. These insects are sometimes known as umbrella Wasps because of the shape of their nest. yellow jackets, Bald-Faced Hornets, and Paper Wasps

Yellow jackets commonly build nests below ground in old rodent burrows or other cavities. They can also build nests in trees, shrubs, under eaves, and inside attics or wall voids. bald-faced hornets commonly build nests in the open in trees as well as under eaves and along the sides of buildings.

Paper Wasps build nests under any horizontal surface and are commonly found on limbs, overhangs, eaves of buildings, under decks, beams and supports in attics, garages, barns, sheds, and other similar places

Honeybees make a series of vertical honey combs made of wax. Their colonies are mostly in manufactured hives but they do occasionally nest in cavities in large trees, voids in building walls, or other protected areas.

Bumblebees use old mice burrows, cavities in buildings, and other locations to make their nests. Like Honeybees, Bumblebees make cells of wax.

CONTROL

Because many of these pests sting and pose risk to your health, we recommend using a professional for the identification and control.  Even if you've been stung before and not had a major allergic reaction, that doesn't mean the next one won't be major.  In 2003, a woman died in the Twin City metro from a sting.  Other risks of doing it yourself may include using the wrong product, in the wrong area, and all too often, do it yourselfers have actually made the problem worse, driving these pests indoors.