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Fall is the time when the Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, ants, hornets) are at their peak. Many people are confused by the many forms of these insects that they encounter; hopefully these pictures will help explain some of the differences in some of the common forms.
These honeybee-size wasps can be separated from the honeybees by a number of characteristics. The body has much less hair, and the colors are a bold yellow-and-black, particularly on the abdomen. They nest in large colonies. Early in the year, the workers spend much of their time collecting small insects to return to the hive and feed to the young. At this time, they are also apt to visit your picnic and make off with bite-sized chunks of meat. Towards autumn, the hive may reach a size of several thousand individuals; at this time of year they are rearing fewer young and the adults are foraging mainly for carbohydrates (sugars). This brings them in large numbers to open containers of pop, beer, trash, etc. Be careful about drinking from a can in the fall lest you swallow one of these! The nests are typically underground (although I had one in the outer wall of my apartment this year). They can be a menace to those walking on (or mowing) the lawn. They are aggressive, and, unlike the honeybee, can sting numerous times. Get professional help to eradicate nests in walls of buildings. If you just stop up the exit they may emerge inside the structure, and they will be ticked off. Nests in the ground are best just left alone. If they are in a high-traffic area, try pouring a bucket of soapy water down the hole at night. Wear thick clothing, step lightly, be prepared to run like crazy, and don't sue me if you get stung. Insecticides are a waste of money and potentially dangerous. Raccoons and skunks often dig up the nests in late summer and eat the pupae (young). This is a great source of protein, but what a way to get a meal! There about 18 species in the subfamily Vespinae in North america; most in the genus Vespula. Another related group are the bald-faced hornets in the genus Dolichovespula. In all of these, only the queens survive the winter to found new, small colonies each spring.
There are about 17 species in the genus Polistes in North America. The paper wasps are in the subfamily Polistinae, which, together with the Vespinae and others comprise the family Vespidae. The paper wasps should not be confused with the bald-faced hornets, who build huge paper nests in trees. As mentioned above, the bald-faced hornets are more closely related to the yellowjackets. Paper wasps build relatively small nests of a few dozen individuals; the nests are most often encountered under the eaves of houses. These aren't really much of a pest unless the nest is close to an entrance to the building. The easiest, safest, and cheapest way to control these wasps is to knock down the nest with a strong stream of water from a safe (at least 25') distance. If you can add some soap to the water (as with a pressure washer), so much the better. Don't waste money on those wasp-killing insecticides.
As you can see from the pictures above, the paper wasp is a slender wasp with brown, black, yellow and reddish patterns.
It's been a tough summer (1996) for honeybees in Ohio. Parasitic mites have sapped the vigor of feral hives (honeybees are a domesticated species, and the "wild" colonies in North America are descended from captive hives that got loose - these are most properly called "feral") and many such hives have been killed. Honeybees are in the subfamily Apinae, Family Apidae, of the order Hymenoptera. The species name is Apis mellifera. They are most closely related to the bumblebees, and are not closely related to the yellowjackets, with which they are often confused. Compared to a yellowjacket, the honeybee is hairier and the colors are much more muted. Honeybees often gather both pollen (for protein) and nectar (for energy) from the flowers; you can often see large packs of pollen collected on structures called corbicula located on the hind legs (you can see this structure in the picture below). Honeybees typically nest in hollow structures (trees, buildings, etc.), and the entire hive survives with the queen through the winter. The food that keeps them going is the honey they stored over the summer. If the bees cannot survive the mite infestations, it could mean a hard time for agriculture. Billions of dollars in crops (alfalfa, citrus, cotton, etc.) are pollinated by bees (fortunately, corn and wheat are wind-pollinated). Wildflowers may do all right though, as they were pollinated before the arrival of the honeybees by myriad species of native bumblebees. In fact, it seemed to me that bumblebees were making a comeback this year without the heavy competition from honeybees (of course, they might have just seemed more numerous due to the lack of honeybees).
Information on the numbers of North American species was taken from Insects, 6th Edition, By Borror, Triplehorn and Johnson. The book is published by Saunders College Publishing, and is a great introduction to the insects and a useful identification tool.
This page was prepared by Dave McShaffrey, Ph. D. (entomology).
Photographs and illustrations by Dave McShaffrey, except where noted. They may be freely used for educational uses. Commercial users must obtain permission before use. Copyright 1996.
This site is sponsored by the Marietta College Biology Department as a public service to the Marietta Community.
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