BEES & Wasps

Bees and wasps can be a major summertime pest to Ontario homeowners. Depending on the species, they will nest in the ground, in wall voids, attics, eaves, in mouse holes, or wood piles.

Yellow jackets are the most common species of stinging insects in Ontario. Nests are normally started in late spring to early summer by the queens that over winter. Once a nest is started, numbers can grow quite quickly. They usually become much more aggressive in the late summer and autumn, when their diet turns to sweets and proteins. At this time they will be very evident at most outdoor gatherings. They can also inflict a sting that is very painful and can also be dangerous to small children or individuals with allergies to the venom. Yellow jackets can sting repeatedly.

Honey bees are a much less common pest in Ontario homes and yards. They occasionally nest in wood piles or eaves but normally in burrows in the ground. Effective control calls for the removal or destruction of the nest.

There are a number of other species of wasps and hornets that can be a pest as well. Nests should be carefully removed or destroyed for control.