Wasps vs Bees – How to Identify Them Before Arranging Pest Control in Barton-le-Clay
Several harmless insects are dressed up in yellow and black stripes, and learning to spot them can save you from an unnecessary call-out or a sleepless night.
Striped does not always mean dangerous
Nature has a habit of copying a good idea. Yellow and black stripes warn predators to keep away, so a number of harmless insects wear similar colours. The result is a lot of garden visitors that look like wasps from a distance but are nothing of the sort.
For people in Barton-le-Clay, in Bedfordshire, a basic understanding of these lookalikes can prevent a great deal of worry. Equally, it helps to know when something genuinely is a wasp, and a nest is behind it.
None of the observations below require you to go near anything. Stay back, use your eyes and, if you must, a pair of binoculars.
There is a lovely side to this: many people who learn to recognise hoverflies come to enjoy seeing them. They are among the garden’s unnoticed helpers.
Hoverflies, the most common mimic
Hoverflies are harmless flies with yellow and black stripes. They are often seen at flowers, hanging motionless in the air before darting sideways. They do not sting.
The clues are in the head and wings. A hoverfly has very large eyes, short antennae and a single pair of wings. A wasp has two pairs of wings, long jointed antennae and a more elongated, narrow-waisted body.
Hoverflies also do not form nests. If a single striped insect is hovering in your garden, visiting flowers and then leaving, it is very probably a hoverfly and no cause for alarm.
A quick tip is to look at the eyes. Hoverflies have huge compound eyes that take up much of the head, which gives them a slightly comical look. Wasps have a more angular, flat face.
Take your time with this. Wasps in particular are often mistaken, and the difference between a single striped visitor and a colony can be quite subtle at first. Watching from a seat on the patio with a cup of tea is a pleasant way to do it, provided the tea is covered.
Bees that look a little like wasps
Some solitary bees and honeybees can resemble wasps at a glance, especially when they are slim and lightly furred. The difference is in the surface and behaviour: bees look softer, carry pollen and spend their time on flowers.
A honeybee is generally brownish-gold, with banding that is less sharp than a wasp’s. A bumblebee is much rounder and hairier.
Bees are valuable pollinators. If you have honeybees or bumblebees causing concern, a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation is the right contact. We treat wasps only.
It can take practice, and professionals sometimes have to look twice. Do not feel embarrassed if you cannot tell at first glance.
Likewise, a few other insects such as sawflies and some beetles have markings that look vaguely like a wasp. Their flight is clumsier, and they do not form nests. It is another reminder that colour alone is a weak guide, and shape, wings and behaviour are stronger ones.
Features that point to a real wasp
If you are still unsure, here are signs that suggest a true wasp, particularly when several appear together:
- A narrow pinched waist between chest and abdomen
- Shiny, sharply banded yellow and black body with little visible hair
- Quick, darting flight and an interest in sweet drinks, food and bins
- Several insects using the same flight line to one hole or gap
- A grey papery structure in an eave, loft, shed or bush
The final point is the most telling. Lookalikes may visit your garden, but they do not live in a nest in the wall.
One more point on behaviour: a hoverfly will often seem unbothered by people, whereas a wasp near your food tends to be insistent. Neither should be swatted, as that can provoke stinging from a real wasp.
Count the insects. A wasp nest means numbers, with a steady procession over several minutes. A hoverfly or bee on a flower is usually alone, or one of a few scattered visitors.
Why it matters before booking
Booking a pest control visit for a hoverfly is unnecessary, and ignoring a real nest is a mistake. A short bit of observation sorts one from the other.
If it is a wasp nest, treatment is a fixed £70 per nest, with £30 for an additional nest at the same property, and no call-out charge. You are told the price on the phone before anyone attends. Hard-to-reach nests needing special access equipment might cost more, and nothing is done until you agree.
Wasps start building in early April, depending on the weather, and a nest reaches its peak in August, so it is worth acting when you are confident.
If someone is stung, wash the area, remove the sting if visible and use a cold pack. For swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing, difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash, call 999. People with known allergies should speak to their GP and mention the allergy when they book.
Making the call
If you are not certain, you can still get in touch. Use the online booking form or the contact page, or phone 07852 111 437. Describe the insects and where you see them. We are open seven days a week, offer same-day service and have evening and weekend appointments, and we work with domestic and commercial customers.
If it turns out to be a harmless visitor, we will say so. Keep your distance from any nest in the meantime.
Photos taken from a safe distance help a good deal, and a short description of the insect and its habits is often enough to settle the question without a visit.
Wasps on your property in Barton-le-Clay?
Fixed price £70 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.