Cicada Killers or wasps are commonly seen in late summer skimming around the lawn, shrubs, and trees searching for cicadas. Cicadas are captured, paralyzed by a sting, and used for food to rear their young. 

Size: 1 1/8 to 1 5/8 inches long

Color: Black marked with yellow (similar to yellow-jacket wasps)

Activity/Behavior: After stinging a large cicada, the female wasp drags it up a tree, straddles it, and takes it off toward the burrow, partly gliding. When trees are not available, the cicada (prey) is dragged to the burrow on the ground. Cicadas are very large insects, sometimes called “locusts.” They sing loudly (noisily) in trees during late summer. The female wasps are non-aggressive and rarely sting unless touched, caught in clothing, or disturbed by lawn equipment. Though males aggressively defend nesting sites, they have no sting.

Where They Live: Nests usually are made in the full sun where vegetation is sparse, especially in well-drained soils. These wasps dig burrows over a wide area, lay their eggs in them and then move on.

Tips for Control: Because the cicada killer will sting if provoked, we suggest a professional be called right away to deal with an infestation.

How Sean Rock Exterminating Can Help: A trained pest control professional can help you get rid of cicada killers because it is all about timing. The burrows are what need to be sprayed and at a certain time of the year to avoid re-infestation. A professional will be able to conduct this process in the proper way to avoid a backyard population of stinging insects. 

Sean Rock Exterminating follows a strict set of guidelines to ensure your health and safety. We use only products which are registered with the EPA.
 

Carpenter Bees are unique with their activity and behavior, despite looking like bumble bees.  They are easily identified by their shiny black body and helicopter flight pattern.

Size: 1/2 to 1 inch long

Color: Black with some yellow (like bumblebees)

Activity/Behavior: The males can’t sting. The females will sting if molested. Adults spend their winter in galleries, emerging in the spring to mate. The female prepares a nest by excavating a new site or more frequently by cleaning out and expanding an existing tunnel.

Where They Live: Carpenter bees actually bore holes in wood to create a tunnel in which to raise their young. Entry holes are usually located in well-lit and sheltered areas, such as headers, roof eaves, porch ceilings, fascia boards, decks, doors, and window sills. Soft wood, such as California redwood, cedar, white pine, and poplar is preferred for nest building.

Tips for Control: Painting bare wood can deter some carpenter bees.

How Sean Rock Exterminating Can Help: Control of carpenter bees requires treating each hole. A dust insecticide can work. The holes should be sealed in the fall and repairs made. A trained pest control professional can help you get rid of bees. 

Sean Rock Exterminating follows a strict set of guidelines to ensure your health and safety. We use only products which are registered with the EPA.

The Digger Wasp or Digger Bee are part of the solitary wasp family. They are sometimes covered in a metallic sheen.

Size: 1/4 to 2 inches long

Color: Dull black or brown to brilliant red, yellow, or blue

Activity/Behavior: Digger wasps are not usually aggressive. However, they will sting when handled. Adults emerge in the spring, mate, and begin construction of their nests which may contain one or more cells.

Where They Live: Digger wasps burrow in the soil. Solitary wasps generally are considered to be beneficial insects. However, many people become alarmed by their presence when they build nests on buildings and burrow in lawns, flowerbeds, and gardens.

Tips for Control: Because wasps are known to sting, if a nest is discovered, a professional should be called right away to remove it.

How Sean Rock Exterminating Can Help:  A trained pest control professional can help you with get rid of wasps. They are angry insects and a professional will be able to avoid getting stung better than another individual trying to apply a treatment.

Sean Rock Exterminating follows a strict set of guidelines to ensure your health and safety. We use only products which are registered with the EPA

Honey bees are broken up into three categories: workers, queens, and drones. They are easily recognized because of their black and yellow stripes, furry exterior and buzzing sound.

Size: 1/2 to 5/8 of an inch long, but queens are much larger, almost 3/4 of an inch long

Color: Yellow-brown to black

Activity/Behavior: Honey bees use the stinger at the end of their abdomen when they feel threatened. They use their tongues to eat the nectar from the flowers. Their legs transport the pollen from flower to flower. They also produce honey and honey combs from their secretions.

Where They Live: Bees may swarm (which happens when the queen fails or there are too many in the hive) on a branch, but that will only last 24-48 hours. Honey bees like to stay in sheltered areas such as hollowed trees, bee hives, hollow walls, or attics.

Tips for Control: It is advised that, because of the danger of the stingers, bee hives be respected at a safe distance.

How Sean Rock Exterminating Can Help:  Dealing with a colony of honeybees is dangerous work. Hire a pest management professional to get rid of bees. 

Sean Rock Exterminating follows a strict set of guidelines to ensure your health and safety. We use only products which are registered with the EPA. 
 

The Yellow Jacket is a social wasp. Their large nests contain queens, workers, and males.

Size: 3/8 to 5/8-inch long.

Color:  Bright yellow and black patterns

Activity/Behavior: Yellow jackets build their flat paper nests in stacks, which are surrounded by a paper envelope.  They usually build their nests below ground and in other protected locations.  Social wasps use their nests only one season. Unlike bees, these wasps aggressively defend their nests and can inflict multiple stings.  They produce very large colonies with some yellow jacket nests containing as many as 30,000 individuals.  These insects are considered to be beneficial because they feed their young a wide variety of insects.  They become a nuisance, however, when they build nests in or near structures; scavenge for food in recreational areas and in other places frequented by humans; and seek overwintering sites in structures.

Where They Live: Yellow jackets build their flat paper nests in stacks, which are surrounded by a paper envelope.  They usually build their nests below ground and in other protected locations.  Social wasps use their nests only one season.

Tips for Control: Every spring, the queens search for new nesting locations. They like areas where water is nearby. 

How Sean Rock Exterminating Can Help:  A trained pest control professional can help you to get rid of yellow jackets. Unlike bees, these wasps aggressively defend their nests and can inflict multiple stings.  The Yellow Jackets nest should be removed completely so that the wasp will not rebuild and the remains cannot damage wood or attract secondary pest problems. We can help you get rid of your yellow jacket and wasp infestation.

Sean Rock Exterminating follows a strict set of guidelines to ensure your health and safety. We use only products which are registered with the EPA

The Bald Faced Hornet is a social wasp. Their large nests contain queens, workers, and males.

Size: 1/2 - 5/8" (12-15mm); queen 3/4" (18-20mm) 

Color: Black with a white pattern on most of the face

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Activity/Behavior: The bald-faced hornet is a relative of the Yellow Jacket. It is mainly black with a white face. This stinging insect is large and above-ground nest. The bald-faced hornet is a predator who feeds on many other insect.  Bald-faced hornets are aggressive. Be careful! They will attack anyone or anything that invades their space.

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Where They Live: Bald Faced Hornets live in large colonies from 100 to 700 members. Bald-faced hornets build paper nests at least three or more feet off of the ground. You might see their nest in a tree, shrub, on your home's overhangs. Nests can be as large as 14 inches around and more than 24 inches long. They usually appear in late summer when populations are largest. Unlike other stinging insects, bald-faced hornets make a new nest every year.

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Tips for Control: Every spring, the queens search for new nesting locations. They like areas where water is nearby.

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How Sean Rock Exterminating Can Help: A trained pest control professional can help you to get rid of Bald Faced Hornets. Unlike bees, these wasps aggressively defend their nests and can inflict multiple stings. Bald Faced Hornets nest should be removed completely so that the wasp will not rebuild and the remains cannot damage wood or attract secondary pest problems.

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Sean Rock Exterminating follows a strict set of guidelines to ensure your health and safety. We use only products which are registered with the EPA