Professional Wasp, Bee and Hornet Removal

Understanding Stinging Insect Species and Their Nesting Habits

Not all stinging insects are the same, and the treatment approach that works for one species may be completely ineffective for another. Honey bees, bumble bees, and solitary native bee species have very different nesting habits, aggression levels, and ecological value than yellow jackets, paper wasps, and bald-faced hornets. A professional assessment of the species involved is the essential first step in any stinging insect management situation, both to ensure the most effective treatment is applied and to identify situations where professional relocation rather than extermination is the appropriate response.

• Yellow jackets: Aggressive, ground-nesting or void-nesting wasps that are the most common cause of stinging incidents. Colonies can grow to 5,000 or more workers by late summer and become extremely defensive. They nest in underground burrows, wall voids, attic spaces, and within hollow logs or tree stumps. Never attempt nest removal without professional equipment.
• Bald-faced hornets: Build large, distinctive gray paper nests in trees, shrubs, under eaves, and on exterior walls. Colonies are highly defensive within several feet of the nest and can mount massive stinging responses to perceived threats. Nests can contain 400 to 700 workers at peak season.
• Paper wasps: Build open, umbrella-shaped comb nests under eaves, in attic vents, beneath deck railings, and in shrubs. Less aggressive than yellow jackets unless the nest is approached closely, but still capable of delivering multiple stings and will defend their nest vigorously.
• Honey bees: Important pollinators that swarm during colony reproduction phases. Swarms resting temporarily are generally docile and may depart on their own within 24 to 48 hours. Established honey bee colonies in wall voids or attics require professional removal and ideally live relocation to a beekeeper.
• Carpenter bees: Solitary bees that bore perfectly round holes into unfinished or weathered wood surfaces including decking, trim, and wood siding to create egg-laying galleries. Rarely sting but cause structural damage over multiple seasons and attract woodpeckers to already-damaged wood.

Why DIY Wasp and Hornet Control Is Dangerous

Consumer wasp freeze sprays and expanding foam products are marketed as safe, simple solutions to stinging insect nests, but they are frequently ineffective and consistently dangerous when applied to established colonies. The flight range of a disturbed yellow jacket or hornet colony is measured in hundreds of feet from the nest. A night treatment that does not fully penetrate and eliminate the nest will result in survivors emerging the following day in a highly agitated state. Nests within wall voids cannot be effectively treated from the outside without specialized injection equipment that ensures the product reaches the core of the nest where the queen and brood are located.

Our technicians carry full protective equipment rated specifically for stinging insects and use professional-grade insecticide formulations that are applied with the equipment necessary to treat each nest type completely in a single visit. We also remove the nest structure when safe and accessible to do so, preventing the nest from being repurposed by other pest species the following season.

Our Removal and Prevention Process

Frequently Asked Questions

We understand that choosing a pest control service involves important decisions. Below are thorough answers to the questions our clients ask most frequently about wasp, bee and hornet removal.