Stingers 101: The Difference between Carpenter Bees, Wasps, and Hornets

What’s that buzzing sound in your yard? You might have a nest located on your property. Learning the difference between the different types of stinging bugs like bees, wasps, and hornets is important to understanding what kind of pest problem you may be dealing with.

Contemptible Carpenter Bees

Often mistaken as bumble bees, carpenter bees are a little larger in size, but have a smooth abdomen attached to their furry thorax. Carpenter bees are usually orange or yellow, and they rarely sting people. If you find holes in the soft wood of your home, you may be housing carpenter bees. Untreated pine, redwood, and cedar are a few favorites for carpenter bees to drill holes into, creating a place for themselves to nest. They create many channels that allow them to move around inside the wood, which ultimately causes structural damage. If you suspect that you have carpenter bees, it’s important to contact the experts at Greenix immediately before the damage becomes overwhelming.

Heinous Hornets

One thing many people don’t realize is that all hornets are wasps, but not all wasps are hornets. Neither one has the same kind of furry body that bees have. Hornets can be identified because they are usually significantly bigger than the average wasp, and their colors are duller than wasps. Their colors may look closer to white and black instead of yellow and black stripes. All three of these stinging bugs have venom, but hornets are known to deliver a more painful sting than their counterparts. While they are usually not aggressive unless provoked, they are incredibly territorial. If there is a nest on your property, you may be seen as a threat, resulting in some nasty stings. Calling in for pest control is a safe and easy way to reclaim your backyard.

What’s Up with Wasps?

Wasps (specifically yellow jackets) are known to be brighter in color, though they are a bit smaller than hornets. These, too, have no fur on their bodies. Wasps eat other bugs, which may seem pretty helpful considering no one wants to have to deal with bugs running around their house. The problem with wasps is that they tend to be more likely to come after you without provocation. Wasps (unlike hornets) are attracted to sweet, sugary foods and drinks. That’s why avoiding wasps while having a picnic outdoors in the summer feels nearly impossible. Because these bugs are also venomous and have the ability to sting you multiple times without dying, it’s important to get them removed from your property by a professional pest control company.

The Greenix Gang

Our team of experienced exterminators are here to help! We perform carpenter bee treatments, wasp nest removal, and hornet nest removal so that you can enjoy your yard without the fear that comes with having stinging bugs buzzing around you constantly. Our pest control experts can locate the source of your problem, eliminate it, and help you prevent the problem going forward. These treatments require multiple visits from our experts in order to effectively and responsibly remove carpenter bees, wasps, and hornets from your property. Book your next pest inspection with Greenix today to get started.