Yellowjackets (Vespula and Dolichovespula spp.)

  • Appearance: Small, black, and bright yellow patterned wasps. They are often confused with honeybees but are hairless and have much more defined, jagged yellow markings.

  • Behavior: Highly aggressive when their nest is threatened. They are scavengers often found near food, garbage cans, and picnics. Unlike bees, they can sting repeatedly.

  • Nests: Usually built underground in abandoned rodent burrows, but sometimes in aerial locations like eaves or wall voids.

Bald-faced Hornets (Dolichovespula maculata)

  • Appearance: Large, black wasps with distinctive white or ivory markings on their face, thorax, and the end of their abdomen. They are technically a type of yellowjacket, not a true hornet.

  • Behavior: Extremely defensive of their large, aerial nests. Their sting is notoriously painful.

  • Nests: Large, gray, papery, football-shaped nests typically found hanging from tree branches or the sides of buildings.

European Hornets (Vespa crabro)

  • Appearance: The only true hornet species in NY. Large (up to 1 inch), robust, with brown and yellow striped abdomens and a pale face.

  • Behavior: They are active at night and are attracted to light. While less aggressive than yellowjackets, their sting is very potent due to their size.

  • Nests: Usually built in dark cavities, such as hollow trees, wall voids, or attics.

Paper Wasps (Polistes spp.)

Honeybees (Apis mellifera)

  • Appearance: Slender, elongated bodies, commonly reddish-brown, or black with yellow markings. They are much less stout than yellowjackets. Their long legs dangle visibly in flight.

  • Behavior: Generally non-aggressive unless the nest is directly disturbed.

  • Nests: Small, open-celled, umbrella-shaped nests made of gray, papery material, typically found hanging from sheltered areas like porch ceilings, eaves, and window frames.

  • Appearance: Golden-brown and black, fuzzy, with banded abdomens.

  • Behavior: Essential pollinators. They are generally docile and will only sting when they feel their hive is threatened or if they are accidentally crushed.

  • The Stinger: Honeybees have barbed stingers. When they sting a mammal (like a human), the stinger becomes lodged in the elastic skin and is ripped from the bee's abdomen, killing the bee. The stinger continues to pump venom.

  • Nests: Managed hives (beekeeping boxes) or large feral colonies in hollow trees or wall voids.

  • Honeybees are federal protected. It is advised to call only if a swarm is actively attacking people or is located on public property. Local municipal agencies like NYC311. Do not handle or remove bees from private property.