As the summer heat starts to chill, experts say stinging insects are more likely to protect their homes or crash a barbecue in search of a sweet snack.
“People commonly associate stinging insects with summer, which isn’t wrong,” Jim Fredericks, senior vice president of public affairs at the National Pest Management Association, said in a statement. “However, they can become especially dangerous in early fall because their populations have been growing since the spring. No matter the season, it’s important to take preventive measures to avoid disturbing these insects’ nests and ultimately getting stung.”
As their populations grow, the stinging insects’ nests grow, causing them to become more defensive of their homes in the late summer and early fall, according to Rodger Gwiazdowski, an adjunct professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who specializes in the study of insects. Still, Gwiazdowski and local beekeepers stress that not all stinging insects pose the same risk.
Beehives house honey and wasp nests house what Gwiazdowski called a “protein bonanza.” With protein on the line, he said wasps become more defensive of their nests than bees. While Gwiazdowski said people can poke bee nests without getting stung, “if you disturb the [wasp] nest, then they’re going to come after you … and defend the nest.” He recalled wasps once chasing him half a block after he unknowingly disturbed them.
Wasp larvae are carnivores and adult wasps are omnivores, snacking on nectar but mostly eating flies, bugs, small aphids and caterpillars. Honeybees’ meals rarely stray from the nectar and sugars of flowers.
“It’s like comparing a lion to a bunny rabbit,” said Bonita Conlon of Warm Colors Apiary in South Deerfield, adding that wasps are significantly more aggressive. “If you know how to manage your bees … you really don’t get stung.”
“Most bees aren’t trying to sting people,” said Ang Roell, owner of They Keep Bees in Montague. “[Yellowjackets] seem like they’re trying to sting us, but it’s mostly that they’re trying to eat their food and get resources before the end of the year.”
Additionally, while bees most often lose their stinger after a sting, wasps can sting repeatedly. Although both stings can redden the skin and cause swelling, soreness and itchiness as the body releases histamines, the bugs only pose severe health risks if the person is allergic to the insects’ venom. Allergic reactions can lead to anaphylaxis, an extremely rare reaction that only results from approximately 1% of bee stings, according to Boston Children’s Hospital.
Stepping on a nest can also trigger a dangerous response from the insects inside. Pollinator Partnership reported that “if you are stung hundreds of times, even the healthiest adult may be in trouble due to venom toxicity and organ failure.”
Roell stressed that these are rare reactions to stings.
“The fear of the unknown fills in a lot of absurdities,” Gwiazdowski said. “If you understand what species they are and how they behave, you can avoid getting stung.”
When residents call Conlon about a nest tucked into their backyards or the walls of their home, she asks them whether the bugs have fuzzy coats. If they do, the bug is a honeybee and uses the hair to catch pollen grains. For honeybees, she tells callers to leave them be. If the bug is shiny, she advises them to remove the wasps.
Another giveaway is the “wasp waist,” as Pollinator Partnership described, where the wasp’s body constricts between its thorax and abdomen.
Bees and wasps also have different ways of making themselves at home. According to the Connecticut Beekeepers Association, honeybees prefer to settle their hives inside hollow trees, hive boxes or other man-made structures. Wasps typically build nests out in the open on trees or picnic tables, inside structures or, in the case of yellowjackets, in the ground. Instead of honeycomb, wasp nests are typically gray and resemble the texture of paper.
Conlon said bees follow their sense of smell. Along with “the best nectar,” they sniff out the carbon dioxide people exhale, drawing them to people’s faces.
To protect herself against bee stings in the apiary, Conlon wears a veil, a bee jacket and long pants. Besides keeping an eye out for nests, Johns Hopkins Medicine recommends limiting the use of perfumes, hair products and other scented products; avoiding bright clothing; wearing close-toe shoes; covering food and drinks when outside; and walking away slowly and calmly instead of swatting the stinging bugs away, especially yellowjackets.
“There are a lot of easy ways to protect yourself by just existing in the world,” Roell said, “and not having to kill insects or be scared of them.”
