The last thing any homeowner wants to accidentally stumble across is a nest belonging to some sort of wasp or bee species in Maryland. Even if the encounter doesn’t lead to immediate stinging, it means you will need to remove it.
Along with posing a serious safety risk to those with allergies, nests left unchecked can lead to the insects and future pests causing damage to your property.
The first step in dealing with any insect nest is identifying what lives in it. Thankfully, you don’t always have to get up close and personal with potentially aggressive stinging insects to find out.
Nest locations, structures, and entrance holes can all be useful information in determining what type of wasp or bee you’re dealing with.
This stinging insect nests identification guide will break down the most common types in Maryland, how to spot them, and when to call pest control.
Common Stinging Insect Nests
Wasps and bees have a lot in common, but some distinct differences exist. Beyond appearances, wasps are much more aggressive than bees and are far more likely to attack in groups when they feel their nest is threatened. They can also sting as many times as they like.
These factors mean encountering a wasp’s nest can be extremely painful. If you find a wasp nest on your property, you should proceed cautiously.
Below is a guide on how to identify the most common wasp species in Maryland:
Yellow Jackets
- Appearance: Yellow jackets typically build their nests underground or inside wall voids. Look for a single, round entrance hole where dozens of wasps may come and go.
- Nest structure: Papery material chewed from wood fibers. Underground nests are harder to see, but activity around a hole in the lawn gives it away.
- Behavior: Extremely aggressive when they feel threatened, making removal risky.
Paper Wasps
- Appearance: Open, umbrella-shaped nests hanging from porch ceilings, tree branches, or under decks. Cells are visible without a paper envelope.
- Nest structure: Made from chewed wood pulp, resembling gray paper.
- Behavior: Less aggressive than yellow jackets but will sting if disturbed.
Hornets
- Appearance: Bald faced hornet nests are some of the most recognizable aerial nests—large, gray, football-shaped with a single entrance hole near the bottom.
- Nest structure: Enclosed paper-like shell with layered cells inside.
- Behavior: Social insects that defend their colonies aggressively. Even passing too close can be enough for them to attack.
Mud Daubers
- Appearance: Solitary wasps with long, thin bodies and a narrow “thread-like” waist. Nests appear as mud tubes, bumps, or clusters stuck to walls, ceilings, or rafters.
- Nest structure: Made from mud, usually small tubular cells stacked together. Often found in sheltered areas like sheds, garages, barns, or under eaves.
- Behavior: Non-aggressive and rarely sting. They primarily hunt spiders to stock their nests for larvae.
Common Bee Nests
Bees may be less aggressive than wasps, but they should still be approached with care. They can and will sting if the nest is threatened, even if they can only do so one time. That’s all it takes for them to pose a serious threat to someone with an allergy, especially if they attack in numbers as they will when defending a nest.
To determine what types of bees you’re dealing with, you will want to consider the following:
Honeybees
- Appearance: Bees’ nests are built from wax combs with hexagonal cells. Found inside hollow trees, walls, or man-made hives.
- Nest structure: Complex wax architecture with brood cells and honey storage.
- Behavior: Honeybees sting only when they feel threatened and are crucial pollinators.
Bumblebees
- Appearance: Nests are small, irregular, and often found in abandoned rodent burrows, compost piles, or grassy clumps.
- Nest structure: Loose collection of wax pots instead of organized combs.
- Behavior: Less aggressive than wasps, but colonies will be defended if disturbed.
Carpenter Bees
- Appearance: No obvious nest—look for perfectly round entrance holes bored into wood. Sawdust may be present beneath.
- Nest structure: Tunnels chewed into beams, siding, or furniture.
- Behavior: Males may hover aggressively but cannot sting; females sting only if provoked.
Safety Precautions Before Approaching Any Nest
You may need to get fairly close to it to properly identify or remove a wasp or bee nest. Doing so comes with the inherent risk of being stung. You’ll want to exercise some precautions, even if you don’t have a known allergy.
First and foremost, children and pets should be kept away from the nest at all times. These insects will attack without prejudice if they feel threatened.
You should also never make loud noises or sudden movements when near a nest, as it may trigger an attack. Lastly, simply sealing off a nest is not a good way to try to eliminate a colony. The insects will find an alternative route, which may lead them indoors.
If you’re dealing with a particularly large nest or one in a hard-to-reach area, it’s best to call in a pest control specialist. This is also recommended if you want to relocate the nest, rather than eliminate it, which is commonly the preferred measure for honey bees.
- Always keep a safe distance from stinging insects.
- Avoid vibrations, loud noises, or sudden movements near nests.
- Never block the entrance hole, as this provokes defensive swarming.
- Children and pets should be kept away entirely.
- For large or active nests, call a licensed pest control professional.
Seasonal Nesting Patterns
Bees and wasps will behave differently depending on the time of year. In the spring and fall, the life cycle is just beginning.
Queens will begin building or repopulating old nests, which quickly expand as the population increases into the summer. By late summer, the population is at its peak, and this is when the nest is most active.
The population will dwindle as fall sets in, and most species will become increasingly aggressive as food becomes scarce. By late fall, most nests are dormant.
It’s important to note that wasps won’t reuse old nests, but some species of bees, honey bees in particular, will. Dormant nests should still be removed as they can invite other pests.
- Spring: Queens emerge and begin to build their nests. Small, fresh structures appear.
- Summer: Colonies grow rapidly. Nests are largest and activity is highest.
- Fall: Many social insects die off after the first frost. However, late-season aggression peaks as food becomes scarce.
- Winter: Most wasp nests are abandoned, but mud dauber nests and mud tubes often persist as dry, unused structures.
How to Prevent Stinging Insect Nests
The safest and most effective method for removing wasp and bee nests is to prevent them from forming in the first place. They will inevitably build nests and hives around your property, but there are some steps you can take to keep them from building them in hard-to-reach places.
The first thing to do is keep anything that may attract wasps and bees to a minimum. Keep the trash covered and avoid leaving food and sugary drinks outdoors.
You should also place wood piles and debris far from your home. Sealing any cracks or openings will prevent them from entering your home and building nests in the walls.
Lastly, you should periodically inspect for any newly forming nests so you can deal with the problem before the population grows.
- Seal cracks and crevices where insects may gain access.
- Store trash in sealed containers.
- Keep wood piles and yard debris away from the home.
- Inspect eaves, sheds, and decks regularly for small starter nests.
- For mud daubers, remove old mud dauber nests to discourage reuse.
FAQs
How can I tell if a nest is active?
You can tell if a nest is active by the number of wasps or bees in the general area. If you’re not sure, watch for regular traffic at the entrance hole. Inactive nests show no movement for days.
What’s the difference between a wasp nest and a bee nest?
There are many differences based on the exact species of wasp or bees we’re comparing. Generally speaking, wasp nests are made from a paper-like material, whereas some bee nests are made from wax. Bees also typically prefer building nests in concealed areas, while wasp nests are often out in the open. There are exceptions to both examples, though.
Are all insect stinging nests dangerous?
All can be dangerous, but the degree to which they are depends on how aggressive they are. Mud Daubers, for example, rarely sting, whereas yellow jackets are very aggressive. All will attack if they feel threatened, though.