This is the time of year when stinging insects are most active. You may be seeing some wasps or bees around your home. While Honey Bees provide much needed pollination of flowers, plants and crops it might be hard to see the positive side of wasps, yellow jackets and hornets. Not only can they build nests in bushes, trees and the eaves of your home, there are also ground nesting bees and wasps. Making something as simple as walking in your yard a hazard.
What do the different nests look like?
This is a Bald-Faced Hornets nest. Typically found in trees or bushes higher off the ground. The shape is somewhat round and about the size of a basketball.
A Yellow Jacket nest may have some of the same characteristics as a hornets nest. However, wasps are not as picky about where they will build. You can find these nests at ground level, in the eaves or built in connection to something else.
Paper Wasps build small nests with an open comb pattern. These nests tend to be smaller and are tucked away in closed areas – the corners of the roof or under a patio umbrella.
Cicada Killer Wasps build their nests in the ground. They are very large and will dig holes in the dirt around your home and driveway. Look for this tell-tale sign!
Mud Dauber’s build cylindrical nests. These unique looking wasps aren’t quite as common as yellow jackets but if you see this type of nest be warned.
By the way, this is a Mud Dauber.
