Pest ID Guide
Stinging Insects
Five stinging insects show up most in Southern California yards. Knowing which one you're dealing with changes how urgent the problem is.
Identification
Wasps, hornets, yellowjackets, and bees. Behavior and aggressiveness vary widely by species.
Habitat
Build nests in eaves, wall voids, trees, and the ground, depending on species.
Why They're A Risk
Multiple stings are possible from social species, and some people have severe allergic reactions.
Signs To Watch For
Steady insect traffic to one spot, a visible nest, and aggressive activity near trash or food.
Species We Treat
Photo: What Do Bees, Wasps and Hornets Look Like?
What Do Bees, Wasps & Hornets Look Like?
All have a head, thorax, and abdomen, six legs, two antennae, two sets of wings, and a stinger in females. Bees are covered in hair and often have colorful banding: honeybees are golden brown with black stripes, and carpenter bees are yellow and black. Wasps have narrower, smoother bodies and can be brown, yellow, red, or metallic blue. Hornets have bigger heads and rounder, larger bodies than wasps, growing past 2" in some cases.
