Identify Your Pest: Stinging Insects

Hornets (e.g., Bald-Faced Hornets)

Hornet

• Identification: Large, deep black bodies with distinct white or yellow markings on the face and thorax.

• Behavior and Signs: Construct large, aerial, paper-like nests shaped like footballs high in trees or under eaves.

• Risk Factor: Highly aggressive; possess smooth stingers allowing them to sting repeatedly.

• Resource: Washington State University Extension: Yellow Jackets and Hornets

Wasps (Paper Wasps)

Wasp

• Identification: Slender bodies with narrow "waists" and long dangling legs; typically brown or black with yellow markings.

• Behavior and Signs: Build open, umbrella-shaped paper nests under eaves, railings, and deck supports.

• Risk Factor: Will sting if their nest is approached closely; painful venom can cause anaphylaxis.

• Resource: Purdue University Extension: Polistes Wasps

Yellow Jackets

Yellow Jacket

• Identification: Bright yellow and black bands; shorter, more compact bodies than paper wasps.

• Behavior and Signs: Nest underground in old rodent burrows or inside wall voids; highly active around trash and sugary foods in late summer.

• Risk Factor: Extremely aggressive; territorial protectors that will chase threats for long distances.

• Resource: University of Idaho Extension: Yellow Jackets

Bee Hives (Honey Bees and Bumble Bees)

Bee

• Identification: Fuzzy bodies. Honey bees are amber and black; bumble bees are large, robust, and brightly banded yellow and black.

• Behavior and Signs: Large swarms or continuous lines of bees entering a specific hole in a tree trunk or structure.

• Risk Factor: Beneficial pollinators, but structural hives can melt wax and honey into walls, causing severe secondary rot.

• Resource: USDA Honey Bee Research Lab

Mud Daubers

• Identification: Long, extremely thin thread-like waists; usually solid black or metallic blue-black.

• Behavior and Signs: Construct hard, finger-shaped mud tubes on exterior walls, porches, and garage ceilings.

• Risk Factor: Solitary and rarely sting unless touched; mostly a cosmetic property nuisance.

• Resource: Clemson University Cooperative Extension: Mud Daubers