Stinging Insects and Spring: What You Need to Know

Spring has sprung. In fact, it’s well underway. Flowers are blooming, birds are chirping, and bees are beginning to buzz. Yes, that’s right: when spring arrives, so too do various stinging insects become active again. For any homeowners worried about dealing with such pests, it’s important to understand that springtime is prime time to deal with them to prevent them from being as much of a nuisance in the summer.

There are a wide variety of types of stinging insects. Most people are familiar with the basic varieties. Bees, wasps, hornets, and yellowjackets all make their homes in various locations throughout Washington state. Honey bees and bumblebees are the most common bee varieties. The bald faced hornet, European paper wasp, and western yellow jacket are all commonly found here as well. Many of these are considered social stinging insects and live in large colonies with others of their kind.

Nest building is a common spring behavior for stinging insects. There are plenty of places around a typical home that make an ideal location for a nest. Bushes and trees are common enough, but so are places on or in structures on your property. The spaces underneath decks, patios, eaves and roof overhangs, and outdoor furniture or play equipment, as well as the areas around light fixtures and the corners of garages, sheds, and attics that see less attention can also be prime nest building areas. It’s important to keep an eye out for nests being built so neither you nor your family are caught unaware and end up suffering painful, potentially dangerous stings.

You may not see large numbers of stinging insects during the spring, but that is because queens are starting to form their colonies. These colonies take advantage of the warmth and abundance of food that allow them to swell their numbers so that the colony can reach its full size by the summer time. Because the colony is still small, spring can be a great window of opportunity for homeowners who want to take action to control the numbers of stinging insects around their property.



Stinging insects can quite literally be a pain. While some of them are wonderful pollinators and are exceptionally important to the environment’s wellbeing, they can still be problematic for homeowners. If you find yourself dealing with pesky stinging insects, be sure to give Proterra Pest Control a call. We can help you safely deal with your stinging insect problem so you don’t have to try to manage it on your own.

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