Bee Identification - Ask Extension
I have a bees next in a shrub and would like to verify what they are. On initial inspection they looked like honey bees but after taking the attached...
Knowledgebase
Bee Identification #807549
Asked August 22, 2022, 5:51 PM EDT
I have a bees next in a shrub and would like to verify what they are. On initial inspection they looked like honey bees but after taking the attached frame from my video it looks more like a yellow jacket but am not the expert so need to be accurate. I have a sign up to warn (mostly the mail delivery folks) people about the hidden problem.
The other issue is that I am planning a reconfiguration of the landscaping and the bush they are in will be removed in the new plan.
If they are honey bees I have a hive I could move them to.
Thanks for any help you can provide. Including relocation, proper time to remove them any other recommendations to get from here to there.
Multnomah County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi John,
Definitely not honey bees, coloration is wrong. The colors looks more like that of Yellowjacket wasps.
One action that you could take is to hang a flag or banner of some sort near the shrub that will flap around. The idea being that the insects will get used to the motion and potentially ignore delivery folks.
If you are able to wait until after cold weather arrives to remove the bush, the potential wasps will be gone.
Here is a comprehensive publication from University of Idaho Extension, "Homeowners guide to Yellowjackets, bald-faced hornets and paper wasps".
Definitely not honey bees, coloration is wrong. The colors looks more like that of Yellowjacket wasps.
One action that you could take is to hang a flag or banner of some sort near the shrub that will flap around. The idea being that the insects will get used to the motion and potentially ignore delivery folks.
If you are able to wait until after cold weather arrives to remove the bush, the potential wasps will be gone.
Here is a comprehensive publication from University of Idaho Extension, "Homeowners guide to Yellowjackets, bald-faced hornets and paper wasps".
