Summer is just around the corner, which means outdoor picnics, cottage trips, and a whole lot of fun in the sun. After enduring the long winter months, you probably want to make the most of your time outside and let that warm summer breeze into your home when you’re not enjoying the great outdoors. There’s nothing better than fresh air after all! There are, however, two things that can come between you and your summer fantasies – bees and wasps. These pesky little insects thrive in warm temperatures and can cause quite the annoyance to homeowners that are trying to hold their summer barbeques. Even worse, they can get inside your house and incessantly buzz around the entire parameter for days on end. If you’ve had the misfortune of having to coexist with bees and wasps and would like to avoid that happening again this summer, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s everything you need to know about how to identify bee and wasp nests!
The Appearance of Bees VS Wasps
You’re much more likely to see bees and wasps long before actually spotting their nests, so it’s important to be able to distinguish between the two. These insects often get mistaken for one another since they belong to the same Hymenoptera order, but if you take a closer look, they actually have pretty different appearances. Honey bees have rounder abdomens and typically measure around 2.54 cm in length. They come in a variety of colours – some have black or brown colourings with yellow or orange grooves, while others are entirely black. Honey bees have a light coat of hair, which assists them in collecting pollen for consumption. When it comes to bees, “chubby” and “fuzzy” pretty much sum up their appearance. Wasps, on the other hand, are hairless with shiny and smooth skin. They sport narrow waists and have four wings. The colouring of wasps is much more distinct than that of bees as they usually have brightly coloured black and yellow patterns. In essence, wasps are more sleek-looking (and maybe a tad bit scarier) than bees.
The Nests of Bees VS Wasps
Once you’ve pinpointed whether your little insect friend is a bee or a wasp, you can confirm your findings by investigating their home. The materials and location bees and wasps use to build their nests vary greatly.
Builders Through and Through
Bees build their homes using beeswax, a waxy substance that conveniently secretes from their abdomens. They are able to construct detailed and intricate hive structures, also known as honeycombs, that are made of a tightly packed matrix of hexagonal cells. Pretty cool stuff! Wasps don’t have the same wax-producing glands as bees, so they have to be a little more creative when it comes to building their nests. Typically, wasp nests are composed of a paper-like substance that they make using saliva and chewed wood fibre. Depending on the type of wasp, their nest can be either slightly pointed at the bottom or in the shape of an umbrella.
Location Is Everything
Honey bees typically opt to build their homes in hollow spaces, like tree trunks or logs. On occasion, a bee colony may decide to settle in an attic, roof, or wall cavity, which can present quite the dilemma. When there is a beehive in your wall, honey often seeps out and can cause permanent stains and/or mould growth to occur. Yikes! Wasps often build their nests on the edges of roofs, in garages, in lofts, in sheds, or in trees. Sometimes they even venture into the quieter corners of your home and decide to build their nest there. Wasps are much more aggressive than bees and will do anything to protect their home so if you spot their nest, stay far away!
What To Do Next
Trying to get rid of a bee or wasp nest on your own may be tempting if you’re a do-it-yourself kind of person, but in this case, it’s always best to call a professional. These insects won’t hesitate to sting you if you come anywhere close to their home and successfully identifying the root cause of an infestation is a pretty hefty feat. At Pestend Mississauga, we protect you and your home with our ethical and affordable pest and wasp nest removal services. We offer a 100% money back guarantee because we’re confident that our experienced bee and wasp exterminators will get the job done right! Contact us today to get a free quote.
