In Arizona, the summer months are full of outdoor gatherings. The last thing you want is to be swatting away stinging pests while you’re trying to enjoy a warm evening or sunny day. And nothing ruins a great party like you or one of your guests getting stung! Learn some simple steps to identify a bee or wasp nest on your property and learn what to do next and you won’t have to worry about these stinging pests ruining your backyard fun this summer.

Signs you may have a wasp or bees nest

If you notice large groups of bees or wasps gathering in your yard and find them flocking whenever you are eating outdoors, you may have a bee or wasp nest hidden somewhere on your property. Colonies can grow quickly—new colonies can have 5-10,000 members, but established colonies can contain as many as 40,000 bees! It is important to locate and remove nests as soon as you notice a problem before they grow too large.

Common bees and wasps

Some bees and wasps are perfectly harmless and do not sting very often. These include the honeybee, bumblebee, and Mason bees. However, there have been incidents involving Africanized honeybees, which are very aggressive. Sweat bees are another threat to people with allergies to bee stings because they are drawn to human sweat. Mining bees are another variety of bee that tends to make its home in large underground nests in places where the ground is sandy and dry.

What to do if you have a bee or wasp nest

If you suspect you have a bee or wasp nest nearby, your first call should be to an experienced pest control company like Atomic Pest Control. Professionals will be able to identify they type of bee or wasp, locate the nest, and use safe techniques to get rid of the pests from your property. Because bees and wasps are pollinators, an experienced professional team will use responsible techniques to move the colony when possible, including bee traps or honeycomb removal.