During summer times, you often come across flies and stinging insects in your garden or yard. Wasps and bees are the most widely found in this category. Though they look the same, you should know the differences between the two.

The confusion between the two is due to their similar appearance and stinging behavior. Both make nests near manmade structures. You can find them around gardens and flowers. So, how are they different, or are wasp more dangerous than a bee?

Are Wasps a type of bee?

No, they are neither bees, nor ants. One basic difference is that they are bigger and have a narrow waist. Also, the majority of wasp species do not live in colonies, i.e. they are solitary. However, many species like yellowjackets, hornets and paper wasps are social and live in colonies.

What are bees?

A bee is a flying insect related to ants and wasps. They feed on nectar and pollen. Worker bees collect pollen to feed the larvae in the colony. You may know the commonly found honey bee that is a type of social bee. They make nests from wax. Honeybees are only a tiny fraction of around 20,000 bee species that we know about.

A Bee is relatively small with a hairy body. They have six legs and carry a stinger and die after stinging. However, these bumble bee sting multiple times. Bumble bees have a bigger body with a more hairy feel.

What are wasps?

There are over a hundred thousand wasp species in the wild. It has a long slender body with wings and black and yellow legs. Yellowjackets have relatively shorter legs.

The females have one stinger at the rear. The majority are solitary and less aggressive. Nevertheless, there are aggressive social wasps like yellow jackets, hornets, and a few more. A wasp sting is more painful than that of a bee. Many people are allergic to wasp venoms that make it a serious problem.

How do you tell the difference between wasps and bees?

One difference between wasps and bees you can tell is that bees are generally small. They sometimes build a nest inside homes. Bee sting itch but are generally not very painful. On the other hand, wasps look bigger. The Asian giant hornet is the biggest around 2 inches.

Adult wasps feed on nectar from flowers, though a few types of wasp prey on insects for food. The larvae feed on insects that workers hunt and bring to the colony.

Solitary wasps like mud daubers are not aggressive and sting only if threatened. Whereas, social species like yellow jackets, paper wasps, and hornets are likely to be aggressive. A group attack by these can be fatal, though rarely.

Do we need wasps and bees?

Wasps and bees play a crucial role in the ecosystem. They are major pollinators that keep our crops growing every year. The honey produced by honey bees has been used as medicine from ancient times. It is a good source of nutrition.

Also, wasps are predators of many insect types. They find and hunt many insects that reduce the pests in and around your house. Metallic blue mud daubers prey on black widow spiders that are considered dangerous to humans.

Are wasps bad for honey bees?

Wasps are sometimes an issue for beekeepers. It is because they attack honey bees colonies. They seek carbohydrates and protein to feed their larvae. Honey bee nests are a treasure for both these nutrients. Hence, species like yellow jackets, hornets are likely to attack honey bee colonies and take away both bees and honey.

Which is worse, bees or wasps?

Bees, especially honey bees are not much of concern as they are not aggressive, and their stings do not cause much pain. Wasps on the other hand carry a concerning threat to adults and children. Wasps can sting several times and they can cause both pain and allergic reactions requiring medical help.

If you find any wasp nest or witness them frequently flying on your property, consult a pest service provider for the safety of your family and pets.

Do Wasps sting for no reason?

An attack is very unlikely until they or their nests are threatened. Often, the problem lies when you are not aware of the wasp nest and get too close. In that case, hornets or yellow jackets mark you as the enemy. However, wearing flower pattern clothes or using sweet perfumes can confuse workers and may consider you a source of food. It may bring them close to you when cooking in the yard or your children playing outdoors.

You need to remove wasp nests to avoid such situations. Call us for an extermination technician and get a free quote for a wasp control service.

What do I put on a bee sting?

If you have been stung by a bee, remove the stinger from your body immediately. You can apply honey or a paste of baking soda and water to heal pain and itching. However, if you are allergic to bees and get stung several times, you may need to see a doctor. A fatal bee sting incident is most rare.

How do I treat a wasp sting?

The majority of victims get out of wasp stings without many complications. However, if you are allergic to wasp venom, you may require medical support.

To treat a wasp sting, wash the area and apply ice. You can apply vinegar to neutralize the alkaline properties of wasp venom. Keep the stinging area clean and dry to prevent any infection.

How do I get rid of bees and wasps?

If these nuisance pests already build nests very close to your home or are inside your home, take an action to immediately get rid of wasp and beetles. Look for a professional pest control service to take off the nest to avoid any accidents.

Call us to have an exterminator visit your home or business and examine the wasp nest. We provide a personalized treatment plan based on the wasp, location, and size of the nest. A.N.T. PEST CONTROL NEW LENOX provides the best trained professionals to exterminate all kinds of bees and wasps from your home or business.