Hornets
All hornets are wasps, but not all wasps are hornets. In the U.S., our main hornet is the European hornet, which looks like a large yellowjacket—about ¾ to 1½ inches long—and nests in the ground or in hollow trees. Another “hornet” we commonly encounter is the bald-faced hornet, a type of paper wasp closely related to the yellowjacket. They are black with white markings on their face and abdomen. They have distinctive large, gray, basketball-sized nests usually swinging in trees.
New to the U.S., the Asian giant hornet is also called the “murder hornet” for the way they attack honey bee colonies, killing the bees by ripping off their heads, eating the honey, and stealing the larva to feed to their own young. They are the giants of the wasp world, measuring 2 inches long. Their sting is very painful to humans, and about 50 unlucky people a year are killed by the deadly neurotoxin contained in their venom.
Wasps
Although there are many solitary wasps, most wasps are considered social, meaning that they live in colonies with a queen, female worker bees, and drones, like honeybees. Solitary wasps nest in the ground or in natural cavities, while social wasps attach papery nests made from chewed fibers to tree limbs or the eaves of your house.
The yellowjacket is a social wasp that will nest above or below ground. In the fall, all the social wasps die off—except for the fertilized queens. They overwinter in protected spots such as hollow logs, under loose tree bark, or in a soil cavity and emerge in the spring to start a new colony. Solitary wasps depend on their larvae to mature in spring and start a new generation.
Wasps are very important, playing a vital ecological role in controlling pests. Social wasps are predators, collecting insects such as caterpillars, grubs, grasshoppers, aphids, and flies, which are stung, paralyzed, and put into the egg chambers for newly hatched larvae to eat. They even prey upon spiders!
On the other hand, they are drawn to meat and sweets and scavenge whatever they find, so they can be a nuisance for outdoor dining and will congregate around trash cans. If you encounter them, don’t swat at them or act aggressively, or you risk being stung.
Bees
Bees eat pollen and nectar, feeding it to their young. This makes them important pollinators. Bees look furry because they are covered with branched, feather-like hairs that pollen clings onto. Bees are not aggressive and only sting in self-defense. In fact, the male bees have no stinger. With the exception of honey bees and bumblebees, most bees are solitary and live in underground nests. Each female takes care of her eggs and gathers pollen to feed the larvae when they hatch.
These Stingers are Really Beneficial!
Most bees, wasps, and hornets are beneficial. Both wasps and hornets are real workhorses for pest management in the garden and farm, feeding on the “bad” insects that destroy crops. In fact, if you were able to see many of their nests, they’re stocked with paralyzed adult grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, and sawflies. Also, if you look carefully at the garden, wasps are very helpful pollinators! They are usually solitary and non-aggressive, busily hovering and moving from flower to flower.
None of these beneficial insects should be killed unless their nest is close to humans and is creating a hazard. However, if the nest is close to where humans are performing daily routines, then the nest has to go. This is when you contact Alexander Pest Control to help you get rid of it safely and effectively (don’t try it yourself!). Otherwise, pause before you kill these insects; remember that they are a beneficial part of our ecosystem and especially critical for pest control in our gardens, public lands, and croplands.
Source: Almanac