Stinging Insects

Brown recluse spiders are tan with a dark brown fiddle-shaped marking on their cephalothorax. They are fairly small spiders, only reaching ¼ to ½ of an inch in length. These spiders are typically found outside in debris, wood piles or under bark, stones or logs. They can be located indoors, usually in storage areas such as closets or attics. Brown recluses are nocturnal. They feed upon insects that are soft-bodied such as cockroaches, silverfish or crickets. Bites to humans generally occur when a spider gets into shoes or clothing or crawls into bedding. Brown recluse venom causes necrosis, or tissue death, at the site of the bite. The effects are usually localized. The initial bite is usually painless, but a burning sensation develops at the site in about 30-60 minutes. The bite site will begin to redden and enlarge. A blister full of pus will form in the center of the bite. Generally within 12-24 hours after the bite occurred, the victim will experience fever, nausea and vomiting. The tissue around the bite is killed and secondary infection may develop

Yellow Jackets can nest in wall voids, attics, in trees and shrubs, or in the ground. They are social insects. They have a worker caste that cares for the young and forages for food. Adult yellow-jackets will feed on fruit and nectar from plants while the larvae are fed insects or carrion.

begin to redden and enlarge. A blister full of pus will form in the center of the bite. Generally within 12-24 hours after the bite occurred, the victim will experience fever, nausea and vomiting. The tissue around the bite is killed and secondary infection may develop

Honey bees, among the most beneficial insects in our living environment, pollinate flowers and allow us to have fruits and vegetables. A pleasant byproduct is the production of honey, but honey bees can be our foes when they end up in our houses.

Honey bees are docile social insects, meaning that they live in groups. As the colony grows too large, a queen may leave with workers and start a new colony. Honey bees peacefully go about their business pollinating plants and producing delicious honey.

Sometimes, hone bees will build hives in walls of a home or business or in bushes nearby leading to hone bees in our living or working spaces. Then, the mild honey bee becomes a pest. Honey bees can sting and some people have violent allergic reactions to the stings.

Much has been written about Africanized honey bees or "killer bees." This strain of bee is much more aggressive than the mild mannered European honey bee. Africanized honey bees are in the very warm areas of the country and are moving further north each year. They will pursue an intruder for the length of a football field, while they hone bee will only pursue an intruder for about on tenth of that distance.

By midsummer, hone bees reach very high populations. Occupants should not fog the inside of their houses or businesses if honey bees are found. If the bees are moved, leaving the hive unattended, robber bees may come and reoccupy the hive, thus perpetuating the bee problem. Instead a pest control company should be called to alleviate the problem with maximum care and minimal risk to the occupants.