Best Bee Brothers Bee Blog — Wasps

Despite their imposing size and capacity for swift, repeated stings, hornets and other wasps are not the top predators in their ecosystem. While these winged defenders of the nest are not to be taken lightly, there are myriad insects and animals that will gladly make a meal out of them given the chance. Let’s take a closer look at the hidden helpers keeping your backyard free of hornets and other wasps.  What Eats Hornets and Other Wasps? You might be surprised to find that despite the creatures’ fierce reputation, the list of natural predators for wasps is actually quite long....

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...

Do you ever wonder where wasps, bees and other insects that are active in summer go in the wintertime when they’re not buzzing around outdoors? Depending on where you live, harsh winter conditions can be unbearable even for humans, and these creatures have developed special survival strategies, since they can’t bundle up. Discover what happens to wasps in the winter and what you should do if you come across a wasp in or near your home.  A glimpse of a wasp nest. In the winter they like to hibernate in the nooks and crannies of a home.  Are Wasps Active...

Wasps are any insect of the Hymenoptera family, which means they are different from ants and bees. They are generally more aggressive than the other two as they are naturally predatory and very protective of their young. For farmers and gardeners, they may be a useful form of natural pest control, as their young feed on insects that may damage crops.1 But due to their aggressiveness, they can be a nuisance as well.  While it may seem easiest to stamp on the insect with your shoe, aside from the risk of being stung by a wasp underfoot, it is a...

Do Carpenter Bees Keep Wasps Away or Vice Versa? During the carpenter bee season we get a handful of customers who experience wasps or hornets in their carpenter bee traps and aren’t sure what to do. These visitors are not that surprising but should be treated as unwelcome guests. While wasps aren’t deterred by the smell of carpenter bees, carpenter bees will fly away from the scent of a wasp.    If you notice a wasp fly into your carpenter bee trap, determine if it has been trapped in the bottom or is flying in and out of the upper...