Yellow Jackets, Carpenter Bees and Hornets.

Here in Willow Grove, where Grove Pest Control is based, there are a number of stinging insects that we deal with on a daily basis once the weather breaks and gets warm. The following are just a few common ones:

Carpenter Bees-These bees usually become active in early spring, sometimes appearing to have appeared overnight, and their habit of dive bombing people is legendary. These bees drill a hole in wood to lay eggs in, and as the female (who can actually sting) goes about her business collecting food and taking care of things inside the hole, the males (who can NOT sting) defend the hole. This is why they chase you. They are intimidating, but can’t sting. The problem is it is hard to identify them without being close up, so I wouldn’t take any chances.

Paper Wasps– These wasps can vary in color, some are black, some are yellow, some are orange, all can give you a good sting. They build paper nests inside of voids or on a structure, sometimes giving the appearance of a umbrella and sometimes it’s just a random looking nest. Usually these wasps are easy enough to eliminate with a spray from far away, at which point the nest can be knocked down.

Bald Faced Hornets – These hornets also use what looks like paper to build a nest, although it usually has the appearance of a large basketball or football and it is a closed nest, with the hornets living inside of it. They often times build their nests in corners of structures, in trees, or in bushes, making them very dangerous. If you bump a nest accidentally while gardening you can expect to be attacked by some very vicious stinging insects! It’s not recommended that you try to eliminate a bald faced hornets nest on your own because of their violent nature.

Yellow Jackets – Yellow jackets are also aggressive wasps and more often than not they will infest a void in the ground or in an opening in a building. You can watch them come in and out of their entry point in the ground or in a structure which resembles a flight pattern. If you get in between the entry point and that flight pattern, you can expect an attack. People also get attacked while mowing their lawns. The vibration from the mower rouses the yellow jackets up and out they come to attack. These wasps are another stinging insect that I would not recommend you try to treat yourself.

Here is one last comment and it is a very important one. Do not under any circumstances plug up a hole where you see bees coming in and out of. If you think that you will wait until night time and clog the hole and starve them out you are wrong, especially if the nest is located somewhere in your home. All you will do is cause them to create another way out, and often times that way out is into your living area, creating an emergency situation. Leave bee control to professional pest control companies.