Stinging Pests

Insects that fall into the stinging pests category are potentially harmful to humans and other animals. These pests range from bees, wasps and hornets to ticks, mites and fleas, and even scorpions. Some of these pests feed on human blood, others sting or bite to protect their homes or food sources. Elimination methods depend on the type of pest being treated and the severity of the infestation, but in almost all cases, getting rid of stinging or biting pests is best left to the professionals.

Bees are usually the first stinging pests people think of. Honeybees, bumblebees and carpenter bees are the most common types of bees found in all regions of the U.S. But bees are not nearly as aggressive as their sister species - wasps, hornets and yellow jackets. These pests will attack when only slightly provoked, which makes DIY pest control difficult and dangerous.

If you do decide to treat these stinging pests yourself, follow these safety tips to keep yourself and your family safe:

• You'll want to eliminate the nest, so be sure to accurately identify which pest you're dealing with. In general, wasps build open and exposed nests that can grow quite large by the end of the season, yellow jacket nests are typically found within wall crevices or openings in the ground and have a papery covering, and hornets' nests also have a papery covering and are found in wall crevices or in natural cavities like tree stumps.
• It's best to treat the nest at night when the insects are less aggressive. But be sure to use low light, or no light at all during the treatment as this will signal the pests to attack.
• Wear protective clothing, including a hat and gloves to minimize skin exposure.
• Don't attempt to treat nests in high places - call Terminix professionals to help treat those dangerous situations.
• If you must climb a ladder, wear bee-proof clothing including a headnet.
• Of course, if you're allergic to stings, call in the experts.

The other class of stinging pests is the tick, mite and flea species. These insects can also be difficult to treat, namely because they remain attached to their hosts during their attack.

In the case of ticks, prevention is the best method of treatment. Wear long pants and a hat when walking in wooded areas. Also, check for ticks on your clothing, body and hair, and on your children or pets, after spending time in wooded areas. If you do find a tick, slowly remove it with tweezers and thoroughly wash the bite area. Tick repellent can also be effective at keeping them off your body.

Types of stinging pests

Want to learn more about the types of stinging pests that are typically found in your region? Get started with the list below:

• Honeybee
• American Dog Tick
• Bald-faced Hornet
• Bed Bugs
• Bird Lice
• Bird Mite
• Black-legged Tick (Deer Tick)
• Brown Dog Tick
• Bumblebee
• Carpenter Bee
• Cat Flea
• European Hornet
• Fire Ant
• Honeybee
• Human Head Lice
• Kissing Bug
• Lone Star Tick
• Paper Wasp
• Pubic (Crab) Lice
• Scorpion
• Soft Tick
• Thrips
• Yellow Jacket