Bees, Wasps, Yellowjackets

Janet Hurley, ACE or Dr. Sonja Swiger Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Department of Entomology

Biting and Stinging Pests

• Bees, wasps, hornets• Blood feeders

• Mosquitoes, bed bugs

• Spiders• Ants• Scorpions• Caterpillars

Difference between a bite and a sting

• Bites involve mouthparts• May involve venom

• Reduviid (assassin) bugs• Spiders

• Or no venom• Bed bugs• Fleas• Lice

• Stings are delivered via modified ovipositor• Bees, Wasps, Ants• Scorpions

• Venomous spines (less common)

Bites may also transmit disease pathogens

• Mosquitoes• West Nile virus• Eastern equine encephalitis• Dengue fever

• Fleas• Murine typhus

• Ticks• Lyme disease• Rocky Mountain spotted fever

• Body lice• Typhus

Risks associated with stinging insects

• Normal reactions to stings• Pain from venom and direct release of

histamines• Tissue damage and inflammation

• Hypersensitive reactions to stings• Large local swelling• Hives• Anaphylactic shock

• Accidents as direct result of avoiding stinging pests

• Lost work and school time

What are bees and wasps?

• Order Hymenoptera• Families Vespidae and

Apidae

Non-stinging wasps

• Includes non-social wasps• Do not live-in organized colonies• May live underground or in mud chambers

• Not aggressive nest defenders

Wasps Nest - Sceliphron caementarium

Stinging wasps

• Social wasps• Will defend nest site

• Nest will be made of paper or wax

Example of solitary wasp: Spider wasp and prey

Organpipe mud dauberPrincipally feeds on spiders

Cicada killer wasps

• Early summer

• One of largest wasps

• Males are territorial

• Do not sting

Paper wasps, Polistesspecies

• Umbrella-like nest• Exposed brood chambers• Social insects• Colonies less than 200

workers

Immature stages

Overwintering behavior

• Queen leaves colony site in fall• Aggregations of over-wintering queens form in

sheltered locations• Wasps become active during periods of warm

weather• Not aggressive during winter

Hornets

• Vespa crabro, European hornet, and Dolichovespula maculata, bald-faced hornet both found in east Texas

• Above-ground nests usually covered in brown paper envelope

• Annual nests

Control of hornets

• Rarely require control• If necessary, treat with power or

pump sprayer, wasp freeze• Save nest for science teacher in

winter!

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

Vespid wasps

• Most important groups are social

• Wings folded at rest

• Include paper wasps, yellowjackets, hornets

• Aggressively defend nest

Yellowjacket wasps: Vespula species

• V. squamosa is common local species• Annual colonies generally less than

2,000 workers (20,000)

• Aggressively defend nest• Primarily ground nesters

Yellowjacket nest diagram

Yellowjacket nest entrance

Yellowjacket nest variations

Control options

• Nighttime nest removal• Red flashlight

• Taillight tape• Red cellophane• Red LED flashlights

• Protective gear

• Mint oils• Wasp freeze• Follow-up

Control of yellowjacket wasps

• Very simple (in theory)• Apply dust or aerosol to nest entrance• Best done at night

• Wear protective clothing• If nest is in area not close to human activity, let colony die

out and seal entrance

Bees

• About 3,500 species in N.A.

• Major bee families• Plasterer bees (Colletidae)• Andrenid bees (Andrenidae)• Halictid bees (Halictidae)• Leafcutting bees

(Megachilidae)• Carpenter, bumble and

honey bees (Apidae)

Carpenter bees

Carpenter bee management

• Residual aerosol or dust to nest openings• Replace or caulk and repaint wood

• Carpenter bees prefer softer woods – removal and replace • Redwood• Cedar• Water-softened and weathered pine

Bumble bees Bombus spp• Large native bees

• Nest in underground holes (annual nest)

• Will sting if nest disturbed

• Considered beneficial pollinators

• Relatively small colonies (dozens)

• About 50 species in N.A.

Honey beesApis mellifera• European honey bee• Social insect, lives in colonies of 10,000+ bees

• Colonies reproduce by swarming• Beneficial pollinator• One of most difficult-to-control stinging insects

Comb nest

• Can be built very quickly. In four days can produce 4 to 6 sheets of comb

• 75 lbs honey per season

• Nests can be distant from entry point (up to 20 feet)

Honey beeswarms

Honey bee swarms

• New queen takes workers and drones and “absconds”

• Commonly 10-20,000 workers

• Follow greenways, parks, creekbottoms

• Not highly aggressive• Searching for a nesting site 8 to 14 ft high

About bee control

• Bees are not an endangered species

• Bees can legitimately be killed when they pose a threat to people or structures

• In many cases bees can be safely removed alive

• May be more expensive• Fewer beekeepers want feral bees

Swarm control

• Control/remove swarms to reduce risk of bees:

• Stinging residents• Taking up residence in or near

school building

• Control with soapy water• Physical capture/transport• Lure to capture with bait hives

Swarm control with soapy water

• Exposed colonies only!• ¾ to 1 cup liquid dishwashing soap

(Palmolive, Dawn) in gallon water

• Gently wet outside then inside of swarm with spray wand

• Place garbage bag or similar receptacle under colony to catch dying bees

Bee and wasp control

• Key is destruction/removal of nest

• Trapping is slow and effective only in hands of experts

• Know what you are dealing with

Distinction between wasp and bee nests in wall voids!

• Abandoned wasp nests rarely require removal (large active nests may require removal after extermination)

• Bee nests require prompt removal

Consequences of not removing bee nests

• Comb melts releasing wax and honey into wall, ceiling

• Dead insects and honey decay and result in odors

• Secondary infestations of cockroaches, carpet beetles, wax moths, clothes moths, ants, rodents

• Re-infestation by new bee colony possible

Skills required for bee control• Bee/wasp identification skills

• Protective gear, safety skills and knowledge of how to work around bees

• Ability to size-up situation, calculate nest location, apply treatment

• Ability to efficiently remove nest

• If you can’t do these things, hire a professional

Basic equipment

• Bee suit

• Veil

• Gloves

• Tape (to seal gloves, boots)

• Smoker (to calm bees)

• Sturdy ladder

• Actisol or similar applicator, power duster

Safety around bees

• Bees attracted to flowering plants pose little threat to school children or teachers on playgrounds

• Where bees are a concern, encourage wearing of light-colored clothing, avoid perfumes

Bee prepared

• Teachers and students should know to report swarms (good newsletter item in spring)

• Should bees attack run to shelter• Stingers continue to pump

venom, so should be removed immediately

Safety around bees

• Thresholds are subjective• Any report of swarm or nest• Stinging incident• More than 10 bees attracted

to trashcans• Multiple bees in classroom or

indoor space

Safety around bees

• Safe distance from hive?• No guaranteed safe distance• 50 feet probably safe in most

cases• Use CAUTION tape to keep

unauthorized people away• Barricades may be best

solution in isolated areas, esp. for yellowjacket wasps

Safety around bees

• Request to know if campuses have children with known allergies to bees

• Check to make sure epi-kit available

• Emergency room best option when child or employee experience's systemic reaction to a sting

• Hives, itching over whole body• Difficulty breathing

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA