Welcome to the second part in our series “The Battles of the Buzz!” It is that time of year when you’ll find yourself hearing that familiar hum around you, as bees, wasps and hornets are out and about and making their nests and hives. In this article, we will share the differences among bees, wasps and hornets! We’ll explore their physical differences, as well as their habitats and also their stings! Let’s start with bees.
BEES
There are three most common types of bees you’ll come across: honey bees, carpenter bees, and bumble bees. Bumble bees and carpenter bees are round, and boast that quintessential black and yellow fluffball look. Honey bees, on the other hand, are more of an orange-yellow and can be a bit more brown, yet also hairy - these hairs help them collect pollen as they visit flower. Honey bees are ones you’re are most likely to see. In general, bees usually range in size from a quarter of an inch to up to an inch long.
Honey bees build hives in places like hollow trees, while bumble bees will nest in places like rodent burrows. But you’ll definitely see both types all over flowers as they look for nectar.
Carpenter bees tend to nest in a wide variety of wood, including partially decayed trees or in structural timber that is exposed. They also like wood that has an unpainted surface.
Bee stings typically result in immediate pain and localized reaction of mild swelling, redness, and itching at the site of the sting. However, for a person with allergies to bee stings, even one sting can be life threatening.
When a bee stings you, its stinger detaches and continues to pump venom into you until you remove it. Honey bees typically die after they sting a person, and ground-nesting bees are not aggressive, so the odds of being stung by one are a bit more slim.
WASPS
Paper wasps and yellow jackets are the most common types of wasps you’ll see.
Most wasps have a narrow or pinched waist and are black or have various markings of white, orange, or yellow. Yellow jackets, living up to their name, usually have yellow and black markings. Unlike bees, they don’t really have hair.
Wasps also tend to range in size from a half inch to an inch long, although yellow jackets are shorter than paper wasps.
Wasps build their nests in spots like eaves, gutters, voids, bushes, branches, and fences. Paper wasp nests look like upside down umbrellas, while yellow jackets generally make their nests in the ground.
Wasps are predators, searching for meat. Yellow jackets will forage on meats that are lying around, like those hamburgers and hot dogs at your neighbourhood BBQ. They also will find crumbs, spilled drinks, and they will be around plants and flowers as well.
People can be stung because yellow jackets are right around their food when they’re eating outside, or when they either get too close to a nest or just happen to stumble into a wasp.. Unlike bees, wasps don’t lose their stinger when they attack, so they usually have no problem stinging more than once. When threatened, paper wasps will very prone to stinking, and can sting you multiple times.
If a wasp is near or on you, and you panic and try to swat it away, it’s going to interpret that as an aggressive act. However, if you gently brush a wasp away from you and walk away, it should leave you alone. Like bees, if you’re allergic to wasp venom, getting stung by a wasp can trigger a serious allergic reaction.
Hornets
Hornets tend to be the largest of these stinging insects. The main difference between hornets and wasps such as paper wasps and yellow jackets is size, with hornets being more robust and larger in size. Additionally, hornets are social insects whereas wasps can be social or solitary, depending on the species.
The brown hornet, or giant hornet, is the main type of hornet in North America. They are large and reddish-brown with yellow stripes on their abdomen. Another type of hornet is the bald-faced hornets, which are mostly black with a white pattern on their face, giving them a “bald” look. Brown hornets like to make their nests in cavities like hollow trees and barns, and bald-faced hornets nest in more exposed areas, like hanging from tree branches, shrubs, utility poles and eaves.
Hornet stings can hurt! When feeling threatened, they can also sting repeatedly. That can cause some serious pain, and even life-threatening.
MANAGING YOUR STINGING VISITORS
While they all have an important part in our ecosystem, most people don’t like those little stingers around, and we definitely want to mitigate nests and hives around our homes. Understanding the differences among bees, wasps and hornets can help you take precautions and prevent areas for nesting or hives.
If you do come across nests or hives, be sure to call a professional pest management company, like Sentry Pest Control, so we can go out to your property to properly assess what you’re dealing with, remove these nests or hives, and complete ongoing mitigation and service!
Comments