Wasps, bees and hornets are among some of the most common flying insects encountered each spring, summer and fall. Not all are as aggressive as people believe, but it is best to exercise extreme caution when dealing with any biting or stinging insect.
Hornets
Hornets are a type of Yellow Jacket which means they are in the wasp family. In Oregon, the most common type is the bald-faced hornet, characterized by their mostly white faces. Hornets are among the most aggressive flying stinging insects, which also makes them among the most dangerous, especially if someone has an allergic reaction.
Paper Wasps
These wasps are oval shaped with smoky black wings that are flat in the resting position. All wasps can sting repeatedly, unlike most bees that sting only once. Like bees, wasp venom can cause anaphylactic shock in those individuals who have wasp allergies. Wasps spend their days hunting other insects, either to paralyze for food or to lay their eggs in to provide an instant food source for the larva.
Yellow Jackets
These aggressive wasps are commonly encountered and are arguably the most dangerous species of stinging insect. They deliver a painful sting, and they are known to build concealed nests in the ground, at the base of plants and even in the walls, attics and siding of structures. They get their names from their noticeable black and yellow color pattern across their abdomen These insects can sting multiple times and the usual attack involves more than one assailant, particularly if the entrance to their nest is approached. If you suspect you have a yellow jacket nest nearby, it is recommended that you call professional pest control services.
Mud Dauber
Mud daubers look like paper wasps but with one major distinction, their bodies are two-sections joined by a long threadlike waist section. Among wasp-kind the mud dauber is generally considered the most harmless. They are not aggressive and are unlikely to sting and if stung the pain is not considered to be very painful. The mud daubers are generally considered non-threatening to humans. However, one should be careful when dealing with abandoned mud dauber nests as oftentimes a nest free of mud-daubers can be a pre-made home for other more dangerous insects and arachnids.
Carpenter bees
These flying insects are quite alarming to most people. In Oregon there are two types, the California carpenter bee which is 3/4 – 1 inch long with a body that is mainly metallic green to blue in color with grayish wings. Then there is the mountain carpenter bee that is about 1/2 to 5/8 inch long with black bodies and males have black, yellow and white hairs on their heads. These bees get their name from the fact that they burrow into wood to lay eggs. The size of these bees is a bit alarming, and the males of the species can be aggressive towards humans, but they do not have stingers and the females rarely sting at all. The biggest problem with these bees is that the nests of carpenter bees can weaken wood over time, and they can deface wooden structures with their burrowing.
If you want to get rid of these flying, buzzing stinging insects, call All-Natural Pest Elimination for help at 1-877-662-8449. Talk with us so that we can help you with your pest control needs.
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