Wasps vs Bees – How to Identify Them Before Arranging Pest Control in Welwyn
Bumblebees are often mistaken for wasps when they appear around holes in the ground or garden structures, so knowing the differences helps you act sensibly.
A common case of mistaken identity
Every spring and summer, people notice a hole in a lawn, a bank or the base of a hedge with insects going in and out, and assume the worst. Often the insects are bumblebees, which are harmless to the garden and valuable to it.
For gardeners in Welwyn, in Hertfordshire, a few minutes of careful observation can prevent an unnecessary booking, or reveal that a booking is exactly what is needed. The key is to know what each insect looks like and how its nest behaves.
This article sticks to what you can see from a distance. You should not need to go anywhere near the entrance to work it out.
The distinction matters because the right response is quite different. A bumblebee nest is a temporary, small and gentle presence that often needs nothing doing at all, whereas a wasp nest tends to grow bigger and more defensive as the season advances.
What a bumblebee looks like
A bumblebee is large, round and covered in soft hair. Its colours are often yellow, black and white, sometimes with an orange or buff band, and many species have a pale, whitish tail. The body looks plump, almost like a tiny furry barrel.
The flight is heavy and bumbling, with a low drone, and the insect moves from flower to flower at a calm pace. When it lands, it is slow and deliberate, rarely darting away unless disturbed.
These features contrast sharply with a wasp, which is smooth, shiny and slim-waisted, and tends to move in quick, jerky flights.
Species vary, and some bumblebees have a very pale tail while others have an orange one. Do not worry about naming the exact kind. What matters here is that you are looking at a plump, hairy, slow-moving insect rather than a sleek, shiny, fast one.
How the nests compare
Bumblebee colonies are generally small, with relatively few insects compared with a mature wasp nest. They may nest in the ground, in grass tussocks, in old rodent holes, under sheds or in other sheltered spots. The activity at the entrance is gentle, with a bee entering or leaving every now and then.
A wasp nest in the ground has a busier entrance. Wasps stream in and out in numbers, particularly in warm weather, and by August a single nest can hold as many as 2,000 wasps. The traffic is constant and purposeful.
If you stand well back and watch for several minutes, the pace of the comings and goings is often the biggest clue. A few slow, furry insects suggests bumblebees. A steady stream of sleek, striped ones suggests wasps.
Entrances can look similar, because both insects may use an old burrow. The surrounding ground gives a clue: a wasp entrance is often bare and worn by constant traffic, whereas a bumblebee entrance is usually less trodden and may be partly hidden by grass or leaves.
What to avoid
Whichever you have, resist the urge to experiment. Do not pour anything into the hole, cover it with a slab or dig it up. Wasps can swarm and sting if they feel threatened, and bumblebees, although gentle, will defend a nest.
Keep a sensible distance and warn anyone who mows or strims nearby. Mark the area with a cane placed well back if people might wander into it.
If the insects are bumblebees, the kindest option is usually to let them be. A nest is occupied for a limited part of the year, and a spot of tolerance often avoids the need for any action at all.
It is natural to want to deal with it quickly, but a day or two of observation costs nothing. Pay attention to the time of day, as wasps are generally busiest in warm weather and the nest may seem quiet in the cool of the morning.
When it is wasps
If you are confident it is wasps, treatment is a fixed £70 per nest, with £30 for an additional nest on the same property, and no call-out charge. The price is confirmed on the phone before the technician visits. Nests needing special access equipment might cost more.
We are open seven days a week, with same-day service and evening and weekend appointments, covering domestic and commercial properties. You can use the online booking form or contact page, or phone 07852 111 437. The technician for your area is alerted by SMS and email.
Nothing is done without your agreement, and the technicians are fully insured and qualified.
If the nest is in a shared or rented garden, who arranges treatment may depend on your tenancy agreement or lease, so check it and tell whoever manages the property. Either way, an early report avoids the nest growing unchecked.
We cover homes and businesses alike.
When it is bumblebees
We treat wasps only, and we do not treat bumblebees or honeybees. If you are worried about bumblebees in an awkward place, contact a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation for advice.
A useful rule of thumb is to keep away, keep children and pets away, and give the nest time. If you honestly cannot tell which insect you have, describe it to us. We would rather help you identify it than have the wrong insect treated.
Gardeners can help bumblebees by leaving a patch of long grass or a log pile undisturbed, and by growing flowers that bloom across the season. It is a modest effort that supports pollinators and reduces the chance of misunderstandings.
Please share this with anyone else who gardens at the property.
Wasps on your property in Welwyn?
Fixed price £70 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.