Wasps vs Bees – How to Identify Them Before Arranging Pest Control in Adel
A ball of insects clinging to a branch looks alarming, but a honeybee swarm is a very different matter from a wasp nest and calls for a different kind of help.
A dark mass on a branch
A resident looks out at the garden on a warm afternoon and sees what looks like a dark, moving ball hanging from a low branch. It is the size of a rugby ball, or even bigger, and covered in insects. The first thought is that a wasp nest has appeared overnight, and the second is that someone ought to be called at once.
In late spring and early summer, a cluster of that kind is quite often a honeybee swarm, which is quite different. Knowing how to tell is helpful for you and kind to the bees, and it makes the call you eventually make more precise.
Swarming is a normal part of the honeybee year, not a sign that anything is wrong with your garden. It is also fairly short-lived, so the cluster is unlikely to become a long-term feature.
What a swarm is and what it is not
A swarm happens when a honeybee colony divides, and part of it leaves with a queen to find a new home. While the scouts look for a suitable site, the swarm may rest in a tree, hedge or on a fence, clustering tightly around the queen. It can stay for several hours or a couple of days.
The cluster looks like a living, crawling mass of golden-brown insects. It has no papery walls, no entrance hole and no visible structure. The bees are generally calm at this stage, since they have no stores or young to defend, though they should still not be disturbed.
- A swarm: a loose cluster of furry, golden-brown bees with no walls.
- A wasp nest: a grey papery structure with an entrance, and glossy yellow-and-black insects going in and out.
A swarm may be loud as it arrives, with a cloud of insects in the air before it settles, which can be an alarming thing to witness. Stay indoors and watch through the window if that happens.
Other signs that help
A swarm is temporary. If the cluster has gone by the next morning, it has moved on. A wasp nest will still be there, and it will be busier each day. Pay attention to what the insects do as well: swarming bees are not interested in your food or drink, whereas wasps soon turn up to the table at mealtimes.
Another useful clue is the surface of the individual insects. Honeybees look slightly hairy and dull; wasps are smooth and shiny with a very narrow waist. Look from a distance, with a phone zoom if necessary, and avoid shaking the branch or treating the cluster yourself. Anything that agitates a swarm can make it defensive.
If you are unsure, keep a note of the time you first saw it and what the weather was like. Swarms tend to appear on warm days and settle quickly, which can help someone more experienced make a judgement.
Photographs help here too. A picture of the cluster, taken from several metres away, will let a beekeeper tell at once whether it is honeybees, and it may let us tell if it is something we can help with.
Who to call for a swarm
For a honeybee swarm, the right contact is a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation. Many beekeepers are happy to collect swarms, and it is better for the bees than treating them. We do not treat bees, and we would rather point you in the right direction than visit unnecessarily.
Bumblebees do not swarm in this way, but they too are valuable pollinators and are best left alone unless they are somewhere impossible. If you are not sure whether it is honeybees, a photo from a safe distance sent to a beekeeper will quickly settle it.
If you cannot reach a beekeeper straight away, it is fine to leave the swarm where it is for a short time, keeping people and pets away. Most will move on by themselves.
Questions that help you decide
If you are on the fence, a handful of practical questions often settles it. Ask yourself:
- Is there any visible wall or paper, or only a loose cluster of bodies?
- Did the cluster appear suddenly on a warm day?
- Can you see an entrance with traffic going in and out?
- Are the insects furry and golden-brown, or glossy and sharply striped?
- Has the cluster moved or gone since yesterday?
A loose cluster that appeared suddenly and has no entrance is a strong sign of a swarm. A structure with a clear doorway and steady traffic is a wasp nest. If you see both in the same garden, there may be two separate things going on, and it is worth describing both when you call.
If it turns out to be wasps
Should the structure turn out to be a papery nest in a tree, bush, eave or wall, we can help. Wasp Exterminator Leeds treats wasp nests at a fixed £90, with an additional nest on the same property at £35. There is no call-out charge, and the price is confirmed on the phone beforehand. We cover Adel, a suburb of Leeds, and the surrounding villages, for homes and businesses, seven days a week, with same-day service offered.
Ring 0113 347 0014 or use the booking form on the contact page. Please tell us where the nest is, how high up it appears, and whether anyone in the household is allergic to stings. Keep people and pets away from the area, and never knock down or treat a nest yourself.
The technicians are trained, and the work carries full insurance. If you would like to know whether the empty nest can be taken down after treatment, ask when you book.
Wasps on your property in Adel?
Fixed price £90 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.