Bees and wasps are probably the number one source of phone calls in mid to late summer. Why is not surprising and we don’t need to go into detail on exactly what type of nuisance these creatures are. But what we do need to do is point out the difference between bees and wasps. The caption below shows a wasp on the left and a bee on the right.
Bees and wasps are often lumped into the same conversation or complaint but they are entirely two different species. Bees, better known as honey bees most of the time, are not wasps at all. There are other species of bees but for the sake of time and not wanting to bore you to death, we will stick to honey bees in this discussion. One of the main characteristics of bees, and one that comes in handy if you’re on their target list, is the fact that honey bees can only sting one time. Wasps, on the other hand, can sting repeatedly and without mercy. Bees are usually more docile while wasps are typically agressive and predatory in nature. Bees are pollinators while wasps are predators and feed other insects to their young. These are just a few differences between the two. Of the calls that come in for these types of concerns, I would have to say that 99% of them are dealing with wasps, not bees. It’s a common mistake and one that most of us have made. Bees just flows off the tongue easier I guess.
In any event, these insects are a nuicanse at best and a major health risk at worst. Stings from wasps account for an absurd amount of trips to the emergency room every summer and in some cases, the result is death. They are not an insect to be taken lightly by any means. These types of calls are where a pest control technician can really earn their keep so to speak. It takes great patience, control of emotions and training to be able to stalk an active bald faced hornets nest or a yellow jackets nest, eliminate the threat, destroy the nest and walk away without being stung.
If you are dealing with an existing nest, give us a call and we’ll take care of it for you so you don’t have to make any unexpected trips to the emergency room. If you don’t have wasps or bees yet and would like to keep it that way, please refer to our “Power Sprays” category for a way to keep them from using your structure as a nesting place.
We pride ourselves on same day service for this type of problem. Asking a customer to wait just one or two more days for a technician to arrive while there is the threat of being stung to death looming over an innocent childs or elderly persons head…….or anyones head for that matter, is not acceptable.
Pictures on this page taken from internet with no one listed to credit!
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