If you have a problem with a bees nest on or around your home, one of the first things to do is to identify what kind of bee/wasp it is before trying to remove it.

First let us look at the different types of bees you might encounter depending on where you live:

Honeybees
Carpenter Bees
Bumblebees
Minor Bees
Africanized Bees (they are slowly migrating)
Mason Bees
Mortar Bees

Types of Wasps:

Yellow Jackets
Paper Wasps
Bald-face Hornets
European Paper Wasps
Mud Daubers

When removing a bees nest use great care. If you are dealing with honeybees you must take caution not to run machinery near the nest prior to removal.

Vibrations will disturb the nest and the bees will swarm. You should seek out an experienced bee removal specialist to remove the nest. The honeybee nest is several layers deep and surrounded with honeycomb and honey. Generally, the beekeeper will stun the bees with smoke and using protective clothing, and head gear will remove the nest to a more isolated location.

If there is no beekeeper available, you can use a cup of Dawn Liquid Detergent in a gallon of warm water. Put the soapy solution in a direct sprayer and start spraying the nest after dark- because all the bees will have returned by then. The soapy water will soak the bees and also kill them, but you cannot stand underneath a nest while you are doing this. The stunned bees will be falling on the ground as their nest falls apart, and even a dying honeybee will sting you. Wear gloves, a long-sleeve shirt, long pants tucked into your shoes, and wear a hat and a face shield before starting this treatment. The best time of year to destroy any honeybee nests that are posing a problem is early spring.

When it comes to dealing with wasps and hornets, the procedure is different. Understand that when disturbed, wasps and hornets will sting. You want to blend in to the surroundings as much as possible and wear only neutral colored clothing. Be sure you have closed-toe shoes, and if you can have a head cover, even if it is just some mosquito netting. Wear long-sleeves, tuck your pants into your shoes.

Unlike honeybees and bumblebees, a wasp’s stinger is smooth and not barbed, meaning a wasp can sting you repeatedly.

A yellow jacket, Paper Wasp and European Paper Wasp nest is made of paper. The nest can either be cone shaped or dark and flat shaped.

Yellow Jackets can bury into buildings, into the sides of creekbeds, virtually anywhere there is dampness and darkness, this will attract them. A wasp will generally make its nest close to humans, because it knows humans will provide food.

You must always attack a wasp nest after dark. The wasps will have returned to their nest and will be settling in. Use a special insecticide aimed at the nest. The nozzle will have a long- reaching spray (to keep you from becoming a target).

Do not use these types of insecticides inside your home, and keep children and pets away from the area when you do attack it.

The insecticide should contain Pyrethrins, and Piperonyl Butoxide. Make sure the spray is for stinging wasps and hornets. These types of sprays are made to kill the wasp or stun them before they die. Use a flashlight, but wrap the lens with red cellophane, because a direct light on the nest will alert the wasps. Wear protective clothing, and be careful.