Bees | Wasps

Stinging insects frighten nearly everyone. Even though bees and wasps rarely sting, most people feel threatened by their presence.  Getting stung is a painful experience and can even be fatal for those few highly allergic individuals. 
Wasps and bees actually rank among the most beneficial of insects. Bees are essential for the pollination of many plants, and wasps capture a wide variety of insect pests as food for their young.

Before taking any action, you should try to identify the type of bee or wasp on your property, so that the correct action can be taken to remove them.

Bumble Bees

General Information: Bumblebees are considered to be beneficial insects because they pollinate crops and plants. They are very social bees and live in large “families”. Unlike honeybees, bumblebees can sting more than once because their stingers are smooth and don’t get caught in the skin when they fly away. 
Diet: Worker bees gather both pollen and nectar from flowers to feed to the larvae and other members of the colony. 
Habitat: Bumblebees often nest in the ground, but can be found above ground around patio areas or decks. They will sometimes build their nests in attics or under roof beams. If disturbed, bumblebees will buzz in a loud volume, and they will aggressively defend their nests.
Impact: As part of the aggressive defense of their nests, bumblebees will chase nest invaders for long distances. The bumblebee sting is one of the most painful stings. Swelling and irritation can last for days after you are actually stung.

Prevention:

• Bumblebees can be prevented through inspection of potential nesting areas and removal of potential nesting materials.
• Because bumblebees will sting when threatened, homeowners are advised not to address the infestation themselves. A pest management professional or beekeeper should be called in to help.

Carpenter Bees

General Information: Carpenter bees are solitary bees. They build nests just for themselves and only feed their own young. There are seven species of carpenter bees throughout the U.S. They get their name from their ability to drill through wood and nest in holes of about one-half inch across. Carpenter bees look like typical bumblebees but often lack yellow stripes. The male carpenter bee’s main job is to guard the outside of the nest. Carpenter bee stingers are not barbed, so they are able to sting over and over.
Diet: Worker bees gather both pollen and nectar from flowers to feed to the larvae and other members of the colony.
Habitat: Carpenter bees bore through soft woods to lay eggs and protect their larvae as they develop. Female carpenter bees will chew a tunnel into a piece of wood to build a nest gallery. The bits of wood she chews and deposits outside the nest are called “frass”. The tunnel openings usually look about one or two inches deep, but they can be up to 10 feet long! These tunnels usually have several rooms where the bees hold their eggs and food.
Impact: Carpenter bees do not pose a public health threat, but they can do cosmetic damage to the wood where they build their nests. Carpenter bees are beneficial because they pollinate plants that are ignored by Honeybees.

Prevention:

• Carpenter bees can drill into almost any wood, but prefer bare wood, so painting and staining wood can sometimes deter them over again.
• Their nests can be hard to reach, so a pest management professional or beekeeper should be called in to help.

Honey Bee

General Information: Honeybees live in large “families” and are found all over the world. The honeybee is the only social insect whose colony can survive many years. That is because they huddle together and eat honey to keep themselves alive during the winter months. Honeybees pollinate more than 100 crops in the U.S. Their wings flap 11,000 times per minute, which is why it sounds like they are “buzzing”. Honeybees can only sting once, because their stingers are barbed and tear off when they try to get away.
Diet: Honeybees produce honey from pollen and nectar of the plants they pollinate. They store the honey in honeycombs in their nests, which they use to feed their young in colder months.
Habitat: Honeybee nests vary in size. They typically build their nests in tree crevices, but will occasionally build nests in attics or chimneys.
Impact: Honeybees do sting, but they only sting once. The sting can be extremely painful if the stinger is not immediately removed from the skin. Persons allergic to insect stings will have a more severe reaction.

Prevention:

• Removal of a honeybee nest and the honey can be very messy.
• Because honeybee colonies can be extremely large, only a pest management professional or experienced beekeeper can safely remove a honeybee nest.

Bald-Faced Hornet

General Information: Bald-Faced hornets get their name from the large white patches on their faces. They can be found across the United States. Its main predators are bears and raccoons. 
Diet: Bald-Faced hornets eat nectar and fruit juices.
Habitat: Bald-faced hornets house their colonies inside large nests that they build hanging from trees, bushes, vegetation and occasionally buildings. A single mated queen starts a new nest each spring by laying eggs inside a small nest made from paper strips and loose bark. The workers then gradually expand the size of the nest until it is larger than a basketball by the end of the summer. The Queen lives deep in the nest, so she is always protected.
Impact: Bald-Faced hornets are aggressive and will attack anyone or anything that invades their space. They have smooth stingers, so they can sting over and over again. Their stings also carry venom that makes the stings hurt, itch or swell for about 24 hours. Humans are at the same risk of allergic reactions from a Bald-Faced hornet sting as with other hornet stings.

Prevention:

• Do not leave sweet drinks or meats out in the open.
• Call Barry's Pest Control if you find hornets around your house.

Yellow Jacket

Diet: Yellow Jackets eat spiders and insects. They will also feed on human sweets. Unlike bees, wasps do not make honey or store food.
Habitat: Yellow Jackets like to be where humans live. They nest in the ground or in cavernous areas such as eaves, attics, etc. They also build nests in trees, shrubs and in holes in walls. Most Yellow Jacket colonies only remain active for one year. Then the queen flies off to start a new colony. The remaining bees die in the fall and the nest is abandoned. Look for Yellow Jacket nests during the day, because you can see them flying in and out, but destroy nests at night, when they are dormant and all there.
Impact: Yellow jacket stings pose significant health threats to humans. Yellowjackets may sting repeatedly and can cause allergic reactions. Stinging insects send over 500,000 people to the emergency room each year.  For most people a Yellow Jacket sting just causes a welt and temporary pain, but their sting can cause allergic reactions to people sensitive to this venom.

Prevention:

• Do not leave sweet drinks or meats out in the open.
• Call Barry's Pest Control if you find Yellow Jackets around your house.

Paper Wasp

General Information: Paper wasps get their common name from the paper-like material out of which they make their nests. Paper wasps are sometimes called umbrella wasps, after the shape of their distinctive nests. Various species are found throughout the United States.
Diet: These wasps eat nectar and other insects including caterpillars.
Habitat: Paper wasps are semi-social and live in small colonies. They hang their comb nests from twigs and branches of trees and shrubs, porch ceilings, the tops of window and door frames, soffits, eaves, attic rafters, deck floor joists and railings, etc. In the autumn, fertilized females will seek places to spend the winter, and may find their way indoors, especially if there is a cathedral ceiling present.
Threats: Paper wasps are not an aggressive species by nature, but will sting if they are disturbed or their nest is threatened. Their sting is painful and has the same risk of allergic reaction as with other stinging insects.

Prevention:

• Before trimming shrubs or hedges, or picking fruit, check the plant for paper wasp nests.
• Treat wood fences and deck railings with a repellent oil to deter paper wasps from gathering cellulose from the wood.
• If you suspect you have a paper wasp infestation or find a nest on your home or property, call Barry's Pest Control
• Do not attempt to remove a nest on your own, as there is a high probability you will get stung.