Best Bee Brothers Bee Blog — Bug Facts

One question we get all the time is how to tell the difference between wasps and hornets. All hornets are wasps, but not all wasps are hornets. In that sense, the term “wasp” refers to a broader category of the Vespidae scientific family. In the US the most common species of social wasps you’re likely to encounter are yellow jackets, hornets and paper wasps. Note: Social wasps are different from solitary wasps (great black wasp). We don’t discuss solitary wasps here. At a glance, paper wasps, hornets and yellow jackets may look and act very similarly. They can all be...

Carpenter bees are known for their ability to cause damage to wooden structures by drilling holes to create tunnels. The bees are relatively harmless to humans, but can be a concerning nuisance. It’s possible to identify the existence of carpenter bees by finding their shed exoskeletons before they damage your home or other structures. Read more to find out about this molting process and the anatomy of the carpenter bee.  Yes, carpenter bees do molt. In order to grow, they have to molt their exoskeleton, a hard outer shell that provides structure, protection and support for the bee’s body.1 There...

Identifying and Treating Wood for Wood Eating Insects If you’ve ever wondered which bugs leave piles of sawdust behind or which bugs eat wood, there are ways to identify these destructive pests, based on their behavior, their physical appearance, and even on the trails they leave behind. In the United States, there are three primary wood eating insects that cause structural damage.  Termites Carpenter Ants Carpenter Bees If you suspect you are dealing with any of these three pests, it might take some detective work to identify which wood-boring insect it is. Here are some clues that will help.  The...

No-See-Ums Bites: Natural Treatment Methods No-see-ums are tiny flies, whose miniature size makes them very difficult to spot. Females are known for their bloodsucking habits as they need protein in order to produce eggs. Keep no-see-ums away with our uniquely formulated natural insect repellent! SHOP NOW If you happen to be bitten by no-see-ums, here are some natural treatment methods you can follow to help reduce the redness and swelling. Or head over to our No-See-Um Prevention blog for types and strategies on how to keep these tiny insects at bay. Use Essential Oils Essential oils can provide a feeling of...