Stinging insects, such as wasps, hornets and bees, can easily ruin your outdoor fun. Most active and aggressive in late summer and early fall, these pests are frequently uninvited guests at many outdoor cookouts. Their stings contain venom capable of causing allergic reactions that send over half a million people to the hospital each year and result in painful swelling even for those without an allergic sensitivity. Severe allergic reactions can involve shortness of breath, dizziness, hives and even anaphylactic shock.

If you have been stung by a bee or wasp and are experiencing any of the above mentioned signs of allergic reaction, proceed to the hospital for immediate inspection.

Differences Between Bees and Wasps
Bees, including honey bees and bumble bees, feature hairy bodies and play a vital role in pollination. They are generally non-aggressive, though will attack if provoked or threatened.

Wasps are more aggressive than bees and often attack whenever someone invades their space. Yellow jackets, paper wasps and hornets are all wasp subspecies. Yellow jackets are particularly aggressive. Typically building their nests in the ground, they can easily be spurred to attack if stepped on or disturbed in anyway.

Honey bees can sting only once as they have a barb that detaches during the process, causing them to die shortly afterward. However, yellow jackets and paper wasps can sting targets repeatedly. Whether in the presence of bees or wasps, it is important to remain calm and vacate the area slowly to help ensure you are not perceived as a threat.

Avoiding Insect Stings

• Cover up with pants and long-sleeved shirts when gardening or working outdoors.
• Avoid walking barefoot in the grass.
• Take caution when eating or drinking anything sweet. Cover up desserts and sodas.
• Don’t wear sweet smelling perfumes, hairsprays and deodorants when heading outdoors.
• Avoid brightly colored clothing; especially clothes with floral patterns.

The best defense to stings is simply to limit exposure to stinging insects, so any nests near your home should be removed. If you attempt to remove the nest yourself, use great caution as this will be perceived as a direct threat on their space and can provoke them to attack. It is best to hire a professionally trained exterminator who is equipped and trained to eliminate any dangerous hive and ensure the infestation does not reemerge in the immediate area.

Have you ever been at a fall tailgate and thought, “Wow, there seems to be way more wasps now than during summer?” This experience, combined with the increased interest in stinging insect treatments we see in the fall, prompted me to ask Batzner Associate Certified Entomologist Dave Kusnierek whether stinging insects really are worse in autumn or if it was just my imagination. Here is his response:

Population Size

Problems with stinging insects such as bees, hornets, and wasps do increase in the early fall, mainly because populations are at their largest size around that time of year. The size of the nest has been growing all summer, so in the beginning of fall you start to run into fully mature nests that simply have a higher population than earlier in the summer. The larger nests send out more foragers, increasing the chances that they become a bother to you.

Dietary Changes and Food Availability

During the fall, some species of stinging insects become more aggressive because they are preparing their queen for the winter, and are more protective near the hive. This aggravated behavior is made worse as natural food sources, such as flowers and insects, are depleted with colder weather, and they grow hungry. Many stinging insects also undergo a change in their dietary needs in the fall, switching from requiring proteins to requiring carbs. These factors cause stinging insects to seek out artificial food sources, leading them to become more of a nuisance around outdoor events like festivals and backyard picnics. Our own behavior can also increase run-ins with stinging insects, as doing fall maintenance around the house often leads to areas where stinging insects are likely to build nests.

The best way to stop them from becoming a major problem in the fall is by having an ongoing service to prevent the population from growing too large throughout the summer. The populations will decrease naturally once the weather gets too cold; however, it is still worth it to treat the nests in the fall. The queen will leave the nest to spend winter in a crack or void of a building, so treating the nest before this happens can reduce the likelihood of having a nest built on your property the following year.

If you experience an issue with stinging insects, don’t hesitate to contact us or call (262)797-4160 for more information on our year-round preventive or single treatment stinging insect services!

They’re among the most feared pests out there. And they’re back. Fall is peak stinging insect season, and wasps, hornets and yellow jackets are once again a bothersome reality for people heading outdoors to enjoy the remainder of summer.

While many simply classify any stinging insect as a “bee,” there are important differences in behavior that set stinging insects apart. The National Pest Management Association and Batzner Pest Control offer helpful tips in identifying and preventing common stinging insects.

Bald-Faced Hornets

Bald-faced hornets get their common name because they are largely black in color, with a mostly white face. These social insects live in colonies that can contain between 100 and 400 members at their peak. They build nests that are at least three feet off the ground and in exposed locations such as trees, utility poles, overhangs, houses, sheds or other structures. Unlike many other stinging insects, bald-faced hornets do not reuse their nests season after season.

Sting Prevention: Bald-faced hornets are aggressive and will attack if their space is invaded. During the summer months, walk around the exterior of your home to inspect for nests on a routine basis, paying special attention to overhangs, eaves, the underside of porches and decks.

Yellow Jackets

These social insects tend to build nests in trees and buildings, as well as in the ground. They are slow to sting unless their nest is threatened, in which case they will become highly aggressive. Unlike bees, yellow jackets can sting several times and inflict severe pain.

Sting Prevention: Yellow Jackets are especially attracted to sweets and proteins, so it is important to cover food and drinks during outdoor events and promptly clean up and dispose of food and garbage in a sealed trash container.

Paper Wasps

Paper wasps get their common name from the paper-like material they use to build their nests. Their nests are typically made in the shape of an umbrella. These pests build nests on twigs and in tree branches and shrubs, as well as porch ceilings, eaves and similar covered places. Wasps are capable of stinging more than once and may use alarm pheromones to call for back-up in defending their nest.

Sting Prevention: Check for paper wasp nests before performing yard work such as shrub or hedge trimming. Treat wood fences and deck railings with a repellant oil to deter paper wasps from gathering cellulose for nest creation.

Attempting to self-treat a stinging insect nest is a dangerous task. When dealing with a stinging insect nest, it’s always best to leave the job to a professional.

Learn more about common stinging insects below.