Wasps and Bees

Wasps and bees. The words alone are enough to send some people into a panic, but usually these insects mind their own business unless a nest is near or they are disturbed. Although bees and wasps all sting to some extent, there are some important differences.

Bees

There are several varieties of bees in the Southwestern United States. The European honeybee has a yellow and reddish-brown body, and is one important variety because it’s a major contributor to pollinating our plants. That’s why we remove honeybees instead of exterminating them.

Unfortunately, Africanized honeybees have migrated into this region, and they are here to stay. This is a much more aggressive form of honeybee, and they look like standard honeybees. If you discover a honeybee nest on your property, call our experts because it’s too dangerous to risk agitating Africanized honeybees. The have earned a reputation as “killer bees.”

Bumblebees have large and round, yellow and black bodies covered with fine hairs. They are normally not very aggressive. Unlike honeybees, a bumblebee can sting more than once.

Carpenter bees have a shape similar to the bumblebee, but are black. These bees are beneficial and peaceful with only a mild sting if harassed.

Wasps

Three forms of wasp are common in the Southwest. The Western yellowjacket has a yellow and black pattern on a smooth body. The legs are more slender than those of a bee. They are often found near trash cans, attracted to sugars such as those found in soda.

Paper wasps are found in a couple of varieties, but in general they are slender insects with smooth brownish or brown and yellow bodies. Paper wasps rarely sting.

Tarantula hawks generally ignore humans unless agitated, but when it does sting, it’s pretty much the most painful sting of any North American insect. Their slender black bodies can grow to as much as two inches long, and their wings are reddish-orange in color.

Nests and Hives

Honeybees build a hive with hexagonal wax cells, which the bees keep at 95 degrees. During cool weather it might be possible to feel the heat of the nest through a wall. Bumblebees nest in holes, long grass, or under structures in areas that aren’t often disturbed. Carpenter bees live in trees or wooden structures, where they actually burrow tunnels into the wood. Wasps build paper-like nests from wood pulp and saliva, and are never waxy. Do not try to remove a bee or wasp nest yourself. Call us for professional stinging insect control.