What’s The Difference Between a Yellow Jacket and a Wasp?

German yellow jacket (Vespula germanica) perched on a wooden board

Yellow jackets are actually the common name of a particular type of wasp. Wasps from the Vespula and Dolichovespula genera are called yellow jackets in the US. Yellow jacket species are smaller than other wasps but more aggressive. They’re more likely to sting than other wasps, but their stings hurt less.

If yellow jackets are a kind of wasp, then why do they have a different name? Why have you heard different things about both types of wasp? Well, despite being part of the same family, wasps and yellow jackets have several important differences. Here’s what those differences are, why they matter, and to tell wasps and yellow jackets apart:

What are wasps and yellow jackets?

Wasps are considered any insects in the Hymenoptera order that aren’t considered bees or ants. Whereas bees feed on flower nectar, wasps are predators that feed on other insects. At a glance, wasps and yellow jackets look and behave very similarly. Only experts could tell the species apart at a glance. To really understand the differences, you have to understand what each of them are:

Wasps

Polistes dominulus European Paper Wasp on a wooden board

The most common wasps in Michigan are the common paper wasp (Polistes fuscatus) and European paper wasp (Polistes dominulus). Wasps are inch long, black flying insects with bright yellow markings along their bodies. Common and European paper wasps belong to the Polistinae subfamily of wasps. Polistinae wasps are eusocial, meaning they live together in colonies. Colonies usually consist of 20 to 75 adult wasps inhabiting a single 3 to 10 inch nest.

The term “paper” wasps refers to the paper-like appearance of Polistinae wasp’s colony nests. The wasps build nests by chewing up wood into a paper-like pulp and then molding it. Paper wasps tend to stick their nests to existing structures such as roofing overhangs or tree branches. Colonies become most active in the late summer and early fall, which is their mating season. Paper wasps are not very aggressive, but they will defend their nest from perceived threats.

Yellow jackets

Vespula maculifrons Eastern yellow jacket on a pink flower

The most common yellow jackets in Michigan are the German yellow jacket (Vespula germanica), Baldfaced hornet (Dolichovespula macalata), and Eastern yellow jacket (Vespula maculifrons). Yes, the Baldfaced hornet is actually a yellow jacket, not a hornet (we know it’s confusing). They’re slightly smaller than paper wasps and usually measure around ½ to ¾ inches. They look very similar to wasps, with black bodies and yellow or white striped markings. Yellow jackets tend to look slightly more stocky than wasps.

Like paper wasps, yellow jackets are eusocial and build their nests out of reconstituted wood pulp. Yellow jacket colonies and nests tend to be much larger than paper wasp colonies, however. Some colonies could contain up to 15,000 individual yellow jackets. Consequently their nests are much larger, as well. The predators feed on insects, but they’re also attracted to human garbage, especially if its sugary or protein-rich. Yellow jackets are also more aggressive than their wasp counterparts.

How can I tell them apart?

The easiest way to tell paper wasps and yellow jackets apart is to watch their behavior. Paper wasps are relatively non-disruptive. They build their small nests onto high structures such as overhangs, roofing, chimneys, or tree branches. Wasps focus on hunting insects, so they’ll rarely approach you. If you leave wasps alone, they’ll probably leave you alone. You may not even notice there’s a wasp’s nest near you until late summer or fall.

Yellow jackets are far more disruptive. They build their nests closer to the ground in sheltered, dark nooks and crannies. They’re also more attracted to garbage and human food than wasps. You’ll see them gathering around sugary liquids, meat, or rotting materials. Yellow jackets range further from their nests and defend themselves more aggressively than paper wasps. Yellow jacket colonies are also simply larger than paper wasp colonies. If you see a lot of wasps around your home, then those wasps are probably yellow jackets.

How can I keep both away from my home?

Never attempt to remove a wasp or yellow jacket’s nest from your property yourself. Colonies may sting you a dangerous (and painful!) number of times if they perceive you as a threat. Wasps and yellow jackets both build their nests in environments where they can easily access food and shelter. If you can keep them from getting food and shelter near you, they’ll find it somewhere else.

Wasps build nests around nooks and crannies between walls, tree hollows, branches, siding, chimneys, and gutters. Yellow jacket nests build lower, around decks, porches, the undersides of sheds, or even bushes and trees. Seal up gaps and cracks whenever possible. Keep other building sites as exposed as possible. Tie your garbage dumpster and bins closed, and keep the garbage inside in plastic bags. Remove other insect infestations or problems proactively to keep wasps from finding food near you.

 

If you have a wasp or yellow jacket’s nest on your property, give Griffin Pest Solutions a call right away. Our experts can safely, humanely, and effectively remove the nest. We’ll also help you figure out how to keep wasps or yellow jackets from bothering you again. No matter what kind of wasp has infested your property, Griffin is your pest solution.

What NOT to Do Around Bees

Avoid swarms of bees

Whenever you see a bee, the first thing you think is, “will it sting me?” It’s unavoidable. No matter how comfortable you are around bees, that anxiety’s in there somewhere. Likewise, if you’re going somewhere where you may see bees, you’ll think about how they might sting you. If you’re going to think about it, you might as well know how to avoid it.

Obviously, the best way to avoid bee stings is to avoid making bees want to sting you. Sounds easy enough, right? Don’t worry–for the most part, it really is. If you can avoid doing the things we list below, you’ll be able to avoid bee stings! …Probably. Well, at least you’ll be much less likely to incur a bee’s wrath. Which is… almost the same thing!

To avoid bee stings when you’re outside, DO NOT:

Approach a bee’s nest

This one’s obvious, right? If you see a bee or wasp’s nest, stay away from that thing! Bees and wasps usually sting to defend themselves and their homes. If you approach a bee’s nest, they could easily interpret you as a threat. If that happens, you don’t have to worry about one or two bees. You’ll have to worry about all the bees. Or you could just give that bee’s nest a wide berth! The right choice seems pretty clear.

Make sudden movements

Bees usually sting people for one of two reasons, and both of those reasons have to do with feeling threatened. They sting people who either wander too close to their nests… or startle them with sudden movements. If you see bees around you, try not to move too quickly. Don’t jerk toward or away from the bee, freak out, jump up and down, whatever. Instead, move away from the bee sloooooowly. If the bee knows you’re there and you’re not threatening it, it’ll probably leave you alone.

honeycomb

Throw things

This one sort of follows from the first two. Obviously, throwing something constitutes a “sudden movement.” You’ll startle bees with your sudden flying projectile and they’ll sting in retaliation. OR your sudden, flying projectile will collide with a nest. And you’ll have to answer for your crimes. To all the bees. If you see bees or especially a bee’s nest nearby, maybe just refrain from tossing that stone or stick. We get it–throwing things is fun–but “not being stung by a bee” is MORE fun, when you think about it.

Swat at the bees

It’s a surprisingly hard impulse to control, especially if the bee lands on you. When you see the bee buzzing nearby, something makes you want to slap it away. You should do whatever you can to avoid that impulse. If you lash out at a bee, you can’t exactly blame it for thinking of you as a threat. If the bee feels like you’re not leaving it a choice, it’ll retaliate against your swatting by stinging you. If you see a bee near or even on you, we recommend simply moving away from it slowly.

Disturb nearby flowers

Pretty much everyone knows bees eat nectar and pollinate flowers. It’s just what they do. Therefore, you’re naturally much more likely to see bees around flowers. Anytime you’re near flowers, expect to see bees. In fact, we recommend keeping bees in mind around flowers, even if you can’t see them. Try not to trample or otherwise push around flowers. Not only is it not very nice to the flowers, but it might also startle a bee you can’t see. Bees tend to feel vulnerable when they’re eating, which may make them more likely to sting.

bees are attracted to sugar

Eat or drink sugary foods

If you’ve ever eaten a picnic outside, you probably know that bees are very interested in food and drinks. Bees and wasps are both attracted to simple sugars as a source of easy energy. Soft drinks, candy, alcohol, pastries, fruits, and other sugary foods will attract bees to you. If you startle them during their approach, they’ll sting you in self-defense. If you eating or drinking something sugary outside, do so quickly. Keep your food or drink in a sealable container, and dispose of it as soon as you’re finished. Most importantly, stay aware of your surroundings. The bee you can’t see is more likely to sting you than the one you can see.

Run away

Now, we get that you won’t always be able to help this. If a swarm of bees comes at you, you’ll probably try to get the heck out of there by instinct. The problem is, running away might actually make you more likely to be stung for a couple of reasons. After all, it’s a sudden movement. If there are any bees near you, you may startle them with your sudden retreat. Bees might also interpret your speed as a threat to their nest, especially if you’re nearby. If you can help it, we always recommend moving away from bees slowly.

 

Next time you head out to a place where you may see bees, keep these simple guidelines in mind. As long as you don’t disturb them and give them some space, bees will pretty much leave you alone. They’re even less interested in stinging you than you are in being stung, after all.

These guidelines are great for going to places, but you shouldn’t have to follow them around your own home. If a bee colony built their home uncomfortably close to you, then you should call Griffin any time. Our experts can safely and humanely remove bee’s nests and make sure they don’t come back.

The Wasp That Kills Black Widows

blue mud wasp close-up

Black widow spiders are probably the scariest pest living in Michigan. They’re surprisingly common, highly venomous, and they’ll live anywhere they want. We understand freaking about them a little, especially if you just learned they’re here. Where life finds a way to create something terrifying like the black widow, however, life also finds a way to balance it out.

That’s where the blue mud wasp comes in. Believe it or not, blue mud wasps hunt and eat black widow spiders. A lot. In fact, they’re considered one of the black widow’s primary predators. And they’re just as if not more common than the black widows here in Michigan! Here’s the lowdown on blue mud wasps, including how they hunt black widows and why.

What is a blue mud wasp?

What is a blue mud wasp?

The blue mud wasp (Chalybion californicum) or “blue mud dauber” is a species of mud dauber wasps. “Mud dauber” is the common name for species of wasps in the families Sphecidae or Crabronidae. The name references the fact that the wasps build their small nests in mud. The blue mud wasps’ name references its bodies’ distinctive, metallic blue-black sheen. Male blue mud wasps are around ⅜ to ½ inches long; females are between ¾ to ⅞ inches long.

Like other mud daubers, blue mud wasps are solitary wasps. They actually steal their mud nests from other mud dauber species such as Sceliphron camentarium. After replacing Sceliphron camentarium larvae in the nest with their own, blue mud wasps tend to their larvae themselves. Blue wasp larvae resemble most maggots: they’re around an inch long, cream-colored, legless, and defenseless. Adult wasps tend to the maggots by dropping food into the nest continuously.

Does a blue mud wasp really kill black widows?

Does a blue mud wasp really kill black widows?

To feed their offspring, adult blue mud wasps need to keep finding and bringing food back to the nest. Well, believe it or not, the food blue mud wasps bring back to their young… is usually black widows! Adult blue mud wasps continuously hunt down, paralyze, and carry black widows back to their offspring. The wasp uses a specialized stinger to immobilize the black widow, rendering it defenseless so larvae can eat it.

Blue mud wasps follow a very clever routine to capture their prey. First, they seek out and tap on a black widow’s spider web. Feeling the vibrations of would-be prey, the black widow comes out–and the blue mud wasp strikes! Blue mud wasps will actually “stock” their nests with paralyzed spiders, even before they produce offspring. Blue mud wasps also target other species of spider, but they’re considered one of the primary predators of black widows.

Where do blue mud wasps live?

Where do blue mud wasps live?

The blue mud wasp is common throughout North America, from southern Canada to northern Mexico. They’re particularly common in Michigan. Blue mud wasps can and do live in a wide variety of environments. They’re particularly common near sources of water (and therefore mud). Many blue mud wasps also build nests in areas where they can easily capture prey for their offspring. Adult blue mud wasps actually feed on flower nectar, not spiders, so they may also frequent gardens.

Because blue mud wasps steal nests instead of making their own, they tend to live where other dauber species do. Other daubers build nests by collecting mud and rolling it into balls and arranging it with their mandibles. They’ll also build paralyzed spiders into these nests by constructing mud “cells” around them. They may roll or carry this mud near homes. Nests look like circular or oval-shaped mud balls. You may also notice exit holes where fully grown wasps emerged.

Are blue mud wasps dangerous?

Are blue mud wasps dangerous?

No. Blue mud wasps and other mud daubers are considerably less aggressive than other wasp families. Unlike social wasps, daubers will not aggressively defend their nest of their territory. Even if you accidentally find a dauber’s nest, it’s possible the adult won’t attack you to drive you away. Blue mud wasps can potentially sting humans, but it’s very, very rare. The only time a blue mud wasp might sting you is if you mishandle or antagonize it.

Blue mud wasps are usually pretty easy to spot, even from a distance. Look for an iridescent blue shine, often on or near flowers. The dauber’s blue sheen frequently catches the light. You could also look for their nests, which could be either on the ground or affixed to a wall. Nests may be somewhat difficult to find, especially if they’re new or particularly small. Wasps rarely build nests out in the open. You’re more likely to find them on, near, or under a form of cover.

 

Nature is a system of checks and balances–even where the black widow is concerned. Just because venomous spiders may scare us half to death doesn’t mean they get to break the rules. There’s something oddly comforting about the notion that even black widows have something to watch out for.

That being said, you can’t exactly rely on the blue mud wasp. It’s just doing its own thing after all; it’s not watching out for you. If you have a spider (or wasp!) concern, depend on Griffin instead. We have the solution to your problem.

How Do Bee Stings Work?

Bee on person's skin

Everyone’s afraid of bee stings, but there’s also something about them we can’t help but feel fascinated by. Maybe it’s the fact that bees are so common and distinctive. Or maybe it has to do with how bees die after stinging us. Maybe it’s just that bee stings are so gross we can’t help but want to know more about them.

Whatever the reason, bee stings are always interesting to learn about. You even have a practical excuse: the more you know about bee stings, the more reliably you can avoid them! Here’s everything you ever wanted to know about how bee stings work and why they happen:

Why do bees sting?

As you’ve probably heard, bees don’t go out of their way to sting people. Bees will only sting you if you surprise them or they perceive you as a threat. Usually, the reason bees sting people is that people wandered too close to their hives. Bees are very defensive of their hives and quite willingly sting to defend them. If you’re not near a hive, then bees will only sting you as a last resort if they feel you’re threatening them.

Bees feel threatened when you make fast, aggressive movements toward them. Swatting or clapping your hands at bees may startle them enough to react by stinging you. Unfortunately, it’s also possible to accidentally incite a bee to sting you by startling them. Many bee stings happen when someone accidentally steps or even sits on a bee. You could also accidentally startle one by disturbing the flower it was drinking nectar from.

How does a bee stinger work?

How does a bee stinger work?

A bee’s stinger is a modified version of an ovipositor, or egg depositor. The stinger itself consists of three main components: one stylet (the penetrating “needle”) and two lancets (small barbed tips). Each of these components is hollow. They connect to another hollow chamber called a “bulb” at the top of the stinger. The bee’s venom is stored in a venom sac above the bulb. The venom sac deposits venom into the bulb via two valves.

When the bee stings, they insert the stylet into skin like a needle. As the bee inserts the stylet, the barbs of the two lancets catch on the flesh at different points. This creates a small gap between the tips of the lancets, exposing the hollow space inside the stylet. Meanwhile, venom flows from the bulb and down through the canal-like hollow structure of the stylet. When the gap opens, venom in the stylet flows out into the wound created by the stinger. Honey bee stingers are also barbed at the end, which prevents easy removal.

How does bee venom work?

Bee venom is called “apitoxin.” Apitoxin is a complex mixture of protein substances that affect cellular function. These peptides and enzymes break apart fat layers in cells and destroy skin mast cells. When skin mast cells die they release histamine, which dilates the blood vessels. People who are allergic to bee stings release too much histamine when their mast cells die. Their blood vessels dilate too significantly, triggering potentially deadly anaphylactic shock.

The main active component of apitoxin is the peptide Melittin. Melittin consists of 26 amino acids and constitutes 40-60% of the dry weight of apitoxin. This peptide both destroys red blood cells and activates pain receptor cells in both direct and indirect ways. It’s primarily responsible for the pain that accompanies a bee sting. Apitoxin also contains anti-coagulation factors like another peptide called phospholipase A2. Anticoagulants prevent local blood clots near the sting, which helps the venom circulate further in the blood stream.

What do stings do to the bee?

What do stings do to the bee?

Honey bee stings work a bit differently from most other wasp and bee stings. Common honey bees have a barbed stinger. These barbs make the stinger impossible for the bee to safely remove themselves.

Instead, bees rip out a significant portion of their own abdomens to leave their stingers behind. The massive injuries sustained during this process kill the bee almost immediately. The bee’s stinger, meanwhile, remains lodged in the victim’s skin along with the body parts the bee ripped away.

How can I avoid bee stings?

First and foremost, you should avoid getting too close to honey bee hives. Bees are usually cautious about when they sting (wouldn’t you be?), but they’ll defend their homes without hesitation. You should always treat bee hives with appropriate caution. Stay at least 10 feet away from bee hives whenever possible. If you have to approach a bee hive, do so very cautiously. If you have a bee nest near or on your home, we recommend having it removed immediately.

Bees might also sting you if you inadvertently startle them. The best way to avoid doing that is by taking steps to make sure you aren’t accidentally attracting bees. Bees are attracted to anything that looks or smells like a flower. Wearing pungent perfume or bright colors make you attractive to honey bees looking for nectar. Sweet foods and drinks may also attract honey bees. If you see a bee near you, try not to make sudden movements. Remain calm and let the bee fly away on its own.

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Bee stings are scary, but they’re also easy to avoid. As long as you follow these tips and pay attention, you shouldn’t have to worry about bee stings.

If you’re worried about the bees around your home, give Griffin a call any time. We’re always happy to help keep you safe and put your mind at ease.