Stinging Insects

Identification Guide

Browse this page to discover what most accurately represents the type of
bees, wasps, or hornets you may be encountering.

Table of Contents
Table Of Contents:
  1. Honeybees (Swarm)
  2. Honeybee (Hive)
  3. Yellow Jacket Wasp
  4. Bald-Faced Hornet
  5. Paper Wasp
  6. Carpenter Bee
  7. Bumblebee
  8. Cicada Killer Wasp
  9. Ground Nesting / Miner Bee
  10. European Hornet

Honeybees (Swarm)

April – July
10,000 – 30,000 Bees
Generally Docile
Learn More
Thousands of bees flying in the air eventually congregating into a cluster.
Bee swarms may be attached to anything, such as this fire hydrant.
Once the bees settle, they will stay together until they find a new home.
Bee swarms are usually pretty docile however, if you see one stay away and call a beekeeper.
Basketball size cluster of bees attached to a surface with lots of bee activity around it.
To have a swarm removed, an experienced beekeeper must be contacted.

Honeybee (Hive)

April – November
10,000 – 60,000 Bees
Defensive near Hives
Learn More
Honeybee hive are in a cavity such as a home or hollow tree. You may not see much besides a hole with many bee going in and out.
In order for us to determine where a hive is located we use a thermal imaging camera.  See opened hive →
Honeybee hives can get very big. If you come across honeybees, call your local beekeeper. These hive can grow over 10ft in size.
Once we cut opened the hive we begin removing all the bees and honeycomb.
Honeybees near their hives can be aggressive, so stay away and call you local bee expert.
Hives are started inside empty voids. It could be anywhere, usually in a home void or hollow tree.

Yellow Jacket Wasp

July – November
4,000 – 5,000 Wasps
Very Aggressive
Learn More
Yellow jackets usually create their nested inside an empty cavity or underground.
They choose a sheltered place, so they can be inside your wall or anywhere else.
Yellow Jacket wasps are very aggressive if you see them entering into a specific area on your property, stay far away and call you local bee & wasp expert.
At the end of the summer hives can get very large and aggressive. Its best to get it removed before that happens.
Sometimes they will make their nest out in the open. Nests look roundish and are grey or brown in color.
If you see them going underground there is probably a hive there. Stay far away until its completely removed.

Bald-Faced Hornet

July – November
200 – 1,000 Hornets
Very Aggressive
Learn More
Bald-faced Hornet nests are grey or brown and look papery with a hole towards the bottom.
Hornet nests are dangerous to be close to. If you come across one, stay far away and call your local Hornet expert right away.
Bald-faced Hornets are black in color with white patches on their head and abdomens.
Hornets nests can grown larger than a basketball size, its best to get them removed right away.
Nests can be attached to anything they are usually under a sheltered area.
The paper nests are made by chewing wood off decaying trees or structures. 

Paper Wasp

April – October
10 – 100 Wasps
Aggressive If Disturbed
Learn More
Paper Wasps create small umbrella like paper hives. A nest contains between 10 – 100 wasps.
Paper Wasps can sting and may become aggressive if threatened.
There are many species of Paper Wasps they are mostly black and yellow but may have red or brown markings as well.

Carpenter Bee

April – September
1 – 5 Bees per Nest
Defensive near nests
Learn More
Carpenter bees live inside wood, they drill holes and tunnel inside leaving damage in the wood. A large infestation can leave many holes with lots of damage.
Bee are large loud and intimidating. However, they usually don’t harm people. 
Holes are usually round but the bees can make them larger over time.
Bees are usually attracted to older wood that is not painted or sealed.
If you see wood dust under the hole that is a sign of an active infestation
If not taken care of, bees will return year after year to the same place.

Bumblebee

April – September
25 – 450 Bees
Defensive near nests
Learn More
Bumble Bees are calm and to themselves. They live their life’s pollinating and are beneficial bees. Bumblebees usually don’t harm people.
Bumblebees nest underground, in leaves or in secluded spaces.
There are many species of Bumble Bees. Some are more yellow while some are closer to white. 

Cicada Killer Wasp

July – September
1 – 3 Wasps per hole
Not Aggressive
Learn More
Cicada Killers live in the ground. They dig borrows on sandy dry soil and they make a quarter size hole entrance.
Cicada Killer Wasps are big wasps they fly around the nests during the day. They can sting, but they usually don’t harm people.
Cicada Killer Wasps hunt Cicadas. Once they sting the cicada they bring it to their nest where they lay their eggs on it. The young will hatch using the dead Cicada as food.

Ground Nesting / Miner Bee

March – August
1 – 5 per nesting tunnel
Not Aggressive
Learn More
Miner Bees live in the ground. They dig borrows on sandy dry soil and they make small ant like dirt mounds. 
In one particular area there can be just a few or thousands of holes. 
Miner Bees look similar to Honeybees. They are gentle and are very docile.

European Hornet

July – November
200 – 800 Hornets
Very Aggressive
Learn More
European Hornets are very large Hornets and can deliver a painful sting.
Nests are located in protected cavities such as wall or hollow trees.
Nests are found by the sight of hornets constantly going in & out of a cavity.

Still Unsure?

Unsure what type of insects are taking residence on your property?
You may give us a call or send us a bee removal request using the link below.

Bee & Wasp Removal Request Form