Yellowjackets
What is a yellowjacket?
Yellowjackets are a type of wasp, 15- 20mm in length, with yellow and black or white and black stripes on their bodies. They live in colonies, and similar to other social insects, there is a queen, female workers and reproductive males, known as drones. With yellowjackets, only the queen survives the winter, and in early spring she begins construction of a new nest. The nest is usually located in the ground, cracks in pavement or other sheltered places; but some yellowjackets, such as the white-faced hornet, build papery nests in trees. In the nest, the colony grows and in late summer can reach a few hundred wasps. Yellowjackets are beneficial as they kill many garden pests, but will also feed on nectar, pollen and scavenge for many different sources of protein and sugars. Yellowjackets can sting multiple times and are often aggressive when disturbed near their nest.
How to control yellowjackets?
To control yellowjackets, first locate the nest and then wait until evening or early morning to apply a permethrin insecticide designed for wasps. If you can’t locate the nest, but want to reduce the number of yellowjackets foraging in your backyard, use hanging wasp traps baited with sugary solutions. Typically, yellowjackets only become a nuisance in late summer, and they will die off in the fall.
If you find a yellowjacket nest on city property, contact the Parks Branch at 975-3300
Other Social Wasps
Who are the other wasps?
There are many other social wasps that form colonies but rarely become problems. In fact, many are useful predators or pollinators. These wasps form small colonies and, as with yellowjackets, only the queen survives the winter, and a new nest is built each year.
How to control paper and potter wasps?
Control is similar to yellowjackets, but is not usually necessary, as they are not bothersome unless harmed or the nest is disturbed.
Honey Bees
Honey bees are 15-20 mm in length, and have hairy bodies that are often yellow and brown. The hairy bodies, along with special structures on their legs, allow bees to transport large amounts of pollen, making them very efficient pollinators. Honey bees are social insect that form large colonies. The entire colony survives the winter. When a colony grows too large it will divide and one half will leave the hive in a process known as swarming. Swarms of several thousand bees are common, and can be seen resting on trees or buildings.
How to control honey bees?
It is not necessary to control bees foraging for nectar and pollen in your backyard. If you are allergic to bee stings, it is important to be cautious, but generally honey bees are not aggressive. If a swarm of honey bees settles in your backyard, contact the Parks Branch at 975 3300.
Bumble bee
Bumble Bees
What is a bumble bee?
Bumble bees are about 10-15 mm in length and have plumb, hairy bodies. Much like honey bees, bumblebees are often seen visiting flowers to collect nectar and pollen to feed their young. Only the queen survives the winter, and a new nest is built each year.
How to control bumble bees?
It is not necessary to control bumble bees. If bumblebees choose to nest in your yard, both the garden and surrounding plants will benefit from these very helpful pollinators.
Hover Flies and Bee Flies
Hover Fly
Susan Ellis
Maryland USA,
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Hover fly on flower
Hover flies and Bee flies mimic wasps or bees in behaviour and coloration to fool predators into thinking they can sting. These insects are commonly seen in backyard gardens. One way to distinguish flies from bees is by counting the wings, as bees and wasps have four wings and flies have two.