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Yellowjackets

Learn more yellowjackets, wasps, hornets, and bees below.

Images of three species of yellowjackets

Oregon Department of Agriculture

Yellowjacket on meat

Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

Yellowjacket nest entrance in ground

Yellowjackets

Vespula spp.

Yellowjackets (Vespula spp.) are attracted to human food. They become a nuisance at picnics. Use lure traps to reduce the number of yellowjackets in outdoor areas.

Stay away from their nests to avoid being stung. Depending on the species of yellowjacket, the nest can either be above ground or underground. All nests naturally collapse by September or October. You may be stung many times if you spray a yellowjacket nest.

Learn to live with yellowjackets. Use lawn flags to mark the location of known nest sites so people don’t accidentally stumble on the nest.

Action Optional
Spiders & Biting Insects
Cellar spider

Joseph Berger, Bugwood.org

Hobo spider

Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

Orb-weaver spider in web outdoors

Nicolina Zambone, Nicolina's Photography, Bugwood.org

Spiders

Many species

Most spiders aren’t harmful to people. Spider bites are rare. Remove spiders found indoors. Leave spiders outdoors alone.

Action Optional
Bed bug

Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

Adult bed bugs are flattened, oval, and about ⅕ inch long. Their color is reddish brown. They have distinct horizontal bands across their bodies. Bed bugs have long antennae.

Adult bed bugs on a dime for size comparison

Patrick Porter, Texas Cooperative Extension, Bugwood.org

The photo shows adult bed bugs on a dime for size comparison.

Signs of bed bug activity under mattress

Matteo Lanciano, iStock

Look for signs of bed bugs such as cast skins, reddish stains and tiny dark fecal spots.

Bed bug eggs

Female bed bugs lay 200 - 500 tiny eggs in cracks and crevices. Eggs are yellow white and about 1/20 inch, the size of the period at the end of a sentence. Eggs hatch in 6-15 days at room temperature.

Bed bug nymphs and adults

Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

Eggs hatch immature bed bugs (nymphs) lighter in color than adults. They go through 5 stages of growth to become adults. Each stage includes feeding on blood of people or an animal and then molting (casting their exoskeleton).

The photo shows bed bug nymphs in various stages and adults.

Bed Bugs

Cimex lectularius

Bed bugs are specialized insects that feed on blood from humans and other animals. They cause itching, skin irritation, and embarrassment. If you discover bed bugs in your home, take action to get rid of them.

Action Highly Recommended
Cat flea on dark background

Andrei Savitsky, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Andrei Savitsky, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Desmond W. Helmore, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Illustration of adult flea biting skin

Acarologiste, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cat flea eggs

© Ken Gray Insect Image Collection

Flea larvae
Cat scratching its shoulder
Flea on animal
Illustration of cat flea

Fleas

Ctenocephalides felis and C. canis

Fleas are common insect pests. They bite and cause itching for pets and people. Take action for fleas on your pet and in your home.

Action Highly Recommended
Adult lice compared to ruler

Jim Occi, BugPics, Bugwood.org

Lice adult on fabric

Dani Barchana, Bugwood.org

Head Lice

Pediculus humanus capitis

Head lice are specialized insects that live only on humans. They cause itching, irritation, and embarrassment. If you discover head lice on a person, take action to get rid of them.

Action Highly Recommended
Household Ants, Pantry Pests, Carpenter Ants, Termites & Boxelder Bugs
Pavement ant

Eli Sarnat, Antkey, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org

Many pavement ants on patio

Joseph Berger, Bugwood.org

Odorous house ant

Eli Sarnat, Antkey, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org

Odorous ant nest

Household Ants

Tapinoma sessile and Tetramorium caespitum

Clean up your kitchen to avoid attracting ants. Wipe up foraging ant trails with soapy water. Use ant baits as needed.

Action Recommended
Meal moth adults in stored grain

CSIRO, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pantry pest trap

Weston Miller, Oregon State University

Insects in Stored Food

Many species

Food pantry insect pests feed on a wide variety of dry, stored foods including grains and dried meats, birdseed, and pet food. Getting rid of food-infesting insects takes planning, effort, and ongoing monitoring.

Action Recommended
Carpenter ants on decayed wood

Henrik_L, iStock

Outdoor wood in landscape with carpenter ant wood dust piles

Edward H. Holsten, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

Carpenter ants and wood damage

John C. French Sr., Retired, Universities: Auburn, GA, Clemson and U of MO, Bugwood.org

Carpenter Ants

Camponotus spp.

Take action for carpenter ants in your home and structures. Consider hiring a pest control company to help you.

Action Highly Recommended
Subterranean termites on decomposing wood


 

Closeup of winged subterranean termite
Drywood termites and frass next to penny

Termites

Several species

Take action for termites in your home and structures. Consider hiring a pest control company to help you.

Action Highly Recommended

Free Help Identifying Insects

Get expert pest management info and advice online from OSU's Ask Extension.
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Yellowjackets, Wasps, Hornets & Bees
Images of three species of yellowjackets

Oregon Department of Agriculture

Yellowjacket on meat

Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

Yellowjacket nest entrance in ground

Yellowjackets

Vespula spp.

Yellowjackets (Vespula spp.) are attracted to human food. They become a nuisance at picnics. Use lure traps to reduce the number of yellowjackets in outdoor areas.

Stay away from their nests to avoid being stung. Depending on the species of yellowjacket, the nest can either be above ground or underground. All nests naturally collapse by September or October. You may be stung many times if you spray a yellowjacket nest.

Learn to live with yellowjackets. Use lawn flags to mark the location of known nest sites so people don’t accidentally stumble on the nest.

Action Optional
Paper wasp

Oregon Department of Agriculture

Paper wasps (Polistes spp.) have narrow waists and are less aggressive than yellowjackets.

Paper wasp nest with wasps

"Paper wasps" by Nicki Dugan Pogue is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Paper wasps build nests that look like the nest shown in the photo. They sometimes build nests under eaves of structures or other protected locations. Tolerate paper wasp nests if possible.

Paper wasp nest

Joseph Berger, Bugwood.org

Paper Wasps

Polistes spp.

Paper wasps (Polistes spp.) have narrow waists and are less aggressive than yellowjackets. They build nests that look like the nest shown in the photos (see above). Paper wasps are not as annoying as other wasp species when you are eating or working outdoors. Stay away from their nests and they will likely not sting you. Solutions for yellowjackets will work for paper wasps.

Action Optional
Baldfaced hornet

Johnny N. Dell, Bugwood.org

Baldfaced hornet nest

Jerry A. Payne, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org

Aerial yellowjacket nest

Howard Ensign Evans, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

Bald-faced Hornets & Aerial Yellowjackets

Dolichovespula maculata and Dolichovespula arenaria

Bald-faced hornets (Dolichovespula maculata) are related to yellowjackets. They have white and black coloring. They build paper nests above ground, often in trees (see photo above). They aggressively defend their nests. Aerial yellowjackets (Dolichovespula arenaria) build similar nests (photo bottom right) that they defend.

Stay away from wasp nests and tolerate them, if possible. They aren’t as annoying at picnics as other species. Solutions for yellowjackets will work for both species if you need to take action.

Honey bee

David Cappaert, Bugwood.org

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are very hairy and have an orange or orange-yellow color.

Osmia spp. bee

"Osmia spp" by thomaswood734 is marked with CC BY-NC 2.0 (cropped from original)

Honey Bees & Native Bees

Apis mellifera & others

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are easier to live with than yellowjackets. They are less aggressive. Stay away from colonies and they will likely not sting you. Honey bees will sometimes swarm and the swarm may land on your property. You can call local beekeepers to take the swarm away. Find names and numbers of local beekeepers at Oregon Swarm Call  

Native bees such as Megachile spp. and mason bees (Osmia spp.) (see photos above) are native to the Pacific Northwest. They won’t sting you if you leave them alone.

Action Optional
Bumble bee on flower

David Cappaert, Bugwood.org (cropped)

Bumble bee entering hole in ground

"bees nesting in the ground" by devra is marked with CC BY 2.0 (cropped)

Bumble bees nesting in bird house

Missy Martin, Oregon State University volunteer

Bumble Bees

Bombus spp.

Bumble bees (Bombus spp.) are easier to live with than yellowjackets. They are less aggressive. Do not disturb their nests and they will likely not sting you.

Some bumble bees and other bees nest in the ground as shown in the photo (see above). Often these nests will be underneath a storage shed or a crack in a foundation. If needed, seal the crack in the fall after the nest collapses.  A few species of bumble bees nest above ground as shown in the photo of the bird nest.

Action Optional
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Ants, Spiders, Fleas, Pantry Pests