a child looking curiously at bees on his sleeve

Bees and Wasps

In the wrong place, some bees and wasps can cause problems. Most are beneficial, working as pollinators or as predators feeding on other pests.

Bees and Wasps

No insect can clear people from a picnic table on a sunny day like a . Bees and wasps nest and forage naturally around us, so understanding them is helps minimize the risk of being stung.

Play nysipm - Stinging Insect IPM

Related Species

  • Native bees are important pollinators.
  • Ants can also sting. 
the entrance of a yellowjacket nest with yellowjackets
Colony-building bees and wasps such as yellowjackets, bald faced hornets, paper wasps, and honey bees will aggressively protect their nests.

Should I Worry About Stinging Bees and Wasps?

Bees and wasps are a part of life. Some can cause trouble but most are harmless and beneficial, whether as pollinators or as predators of caterpillars and other potentially damaging insects.

Colony-building bees and wasps

When colony-building bees and wasps create nests close to where we live, work, and play we often need to manage them. These species are most likely to sting, which can cause life-threatening reactions in people (and sometimes pets) with allergies.

  • Yellowjackets and paper wasps that build nests on houses and other buildings may become a stinging hazard to people.
  • Yellowjackets and honey bees will build nests inside buildings when they have access. This can cause a big mess from honey and wax or dead larvae that attract and breed beetles and other pests.
  • Carpenter bees will damage exposed boards of solid wood by excavating tunnels along the wood grain. This damage is often hidden until it is severe.
person dressed in thick clothing knocking down a yellowjacket nest at night.
Yellowjacket nests can be knocked down early in their development with a strong stream of water or a pole. Ideally this work should be completed at night when all colony members are on the nest. Prevent stings with thick, loose clothing and gloves.

How do I manage bees and Wasps?

Each species of stinging bees and wasps is different and requires a different approach.

  • A pest management professional should be hired for large yellowjacket and hornet nest removal, but small nests can be safely knocked down early in the season with a long pole or jet of water.
  • A beekeeper can be called for a swarm or colony of honey bees in an accessible spot.
  • There are a variety of techniques for carpenter bee prevention and management.

The first step is to properly identify the bee or wasp to determine the IPM strategies use.

Identification

What do bees and wasps look like? 

The first step to managing a problem with bees or wasps is to properly identify the species. Different species require different approaches. 

Common Kinds of Stinging Bees and Wasps

This list includes only the major types of stinging insects you are likely to encounter where you live, work, learn and play.

bumblebee visiting a flower
Bumblebees

Bumblebees are docile while foraging but can deliver a fierce sting if stepped on or defending the colony and queen.

fuzzy black and yellow bee
Carpenter Bees

Damage to structural wood is the biggest issue with carpenter bees. They are not much of a stinging hazard.

a large yellow and brown wasp
Cicada killer wasps

Among the largest of the wasps in NY, cicada killers are gentle giants and very unlikely to sting.

bee about to land on a flower
European honey bees

Honey bees are social, live in complex colonies with a queen, and can become structural pests if the nest is built inside the wall or attic of a building.

a wasp on dead leaves
European hornet

European hornet nests are built inside hollow trees and old barns, usually out of the way of people. They can sting—it will be painful—but they are not aggressive away from the colony.

black and yellow wasp
Paper wasps

Paper wasps often warn intruders who get too close to the nest by flying into them without stinging but they can deliver a painful sting when disturbed.

a green and black striped wasp on sand
Solitary wasps

Solitary wasps, are typically ground nesters and seem to specialize in ignoring people.

a black and yellow wasp on the rim of a glass
Yellowjackets and baldfaced hornets

Yellowjackets deliver painful stings and when crushed, their bodies release alarm pheromone to attract other workers. Colonies can grow to 5,000 workers or more by the end of the summer.

What’s the difference between a bee and a wasp?

Pollinators or predators

Which beneficial roles do bees and wasps play in the ecosystem? 

Fuzzy or Smooth

Can you tell bees and wasps apart by how fuzzy or smooth they are? 

Solitary or Social

Are all bees social and all wasps solitary? 

Related Links

Identification Services (pdf)

Fact Sheets