Wasp, Hornet & Bee Removal in NEPA

How to Identify Wasps & Hornets — and Why DIY Falls Short

Knowing which stinging insect you have determines the response. Paper wasps build open umbrella combs under eaves and are relatively calm. Bald-faced hornets — actually large yellow jackets — build enclosed gray paper nests in trees and on structures and defend them hard. Eastern yellow jackets nest underground and in wall voids and cause most serious stings. Honey bees are fuzzy and golden-brown; we refer those colonies to local beekeepers for live relocation.

Late summer is stinging-insect season in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Paper wasps build open comb nests under eaves, bald-faced hornets hang football-sized nests in trees, and eastern yellow jackets — the most aggressive of the group — nest in wall voids and underground, defending them with mass stings when disturbed. By August and September a single colony can hold thousands of workers, which is why most sting emergencies happen at the end of summer.

The risk is not theoretical for the roughly one in thirteen Americans with sting allergies. Yellow jacket nests in lawns are routinely hit by mowers, and nests hidden in siding go unnoticed until someone leans against the wall. DIY sprays have their place for a small, visible starter nest in spring, but attacking a mature nest at arm's length — or sealing a void nest's entrance — can drive hundreds of angry wasps into the living space.

Our technicians carry the protective gear and extension equipment to treat nests at height, underground, and inside structural voids, usually in a single visit. We treat in the evening when the colony is home, remove accessible nests once activity stops, and seal entry points to prevent reuse. True honey bees are beneficial pollinators: when we find a honey bee colony, we refer it to local beekeepers for live removal instead of extermination.