Common Insects with a Stinger

Africanized Killer Bees

Extremely aggressive, will attack without provocation. Pursue targets over 1/4 mile. Found in southern/western states. Still beneficial pollinators.

Honeybees

Responsible for pollinating 100+ crops. Docile unless nest threatened. Die after stinging (barbed stinger). Biggest threat is allergic reactions.

Bumble Bees

Larger than honeybees, covered in yellow/black fuzz. Nest underground. Gentle, won't act aggressively unless threatened. Smaller colonies.

Carpenter Bees

Burrow into wood to nest. Only females can sting. Not social insects, no queen. Solitary but populations can grow large over generations.

Bald Faced Hornets

Attack with little provocation. Identified by white face. Can squirt venom. Paper nests high in branches/eaves. Beneficial: eat flies.

European Hornets

Also called giant hornets. Football-shaped paper nests on trees/buildings. Less aggressive than bald faced. Eat agricultural pests like grasshoppers.

Yellow Jackets

Notoriously aggressive. Nests can contain up to 4,000 individuals. Attracted to sweets/proteins (picnic invaders). Nests usually underground.

Asian Giant Hornets

"Murder hornets" kill up to 50 people yearly. First US sighting 2019 in Washington. Large with nasty sting. Not extremely aggressive.

Paper Wasps

Umbrella-shaped nests with cells open toward ground. Hang from eaves. Normally docile but can be aggressive if threatened. Eat crop-damaging caterpillars.

Mud Daubers

Slender black bodies. Solitary and not aggressive. Make nests from mud tubes. Beneficial: feed on spiders.

Cicada Killers

Large solitary wasps. Nest underground. Provide pest control against cicadas. Not aggressive toward humans.

Velvet Ants

Actually wingless wasps, not ants. Solitary, not aggressive but capable of painful stings. Feed mostly on nectar. May infiltrate other insect nests to lay eggs.

Fire Ants

Deliver painful bites AND stings. Inject venom causing blisters. Extremely territorial. Swarms can contain 200,000+ ants. Have displaced native species.

Harvester Ants

Extremely painful sting, pain lasts several hours. Beneficial: aerate soil with underground colonies and disperse seeds, increasing biodiversity.

Scorpions

Not aggressive, stay hidden during day. Come out at night to hunt. May hide in shoes or under furniture. 30-40 species can deliver fatal stings. Cause pain, swelling, convulsions.

Puss Caterpillars

About 1 inch, covered in yellow/grey/reddish hairs. Each hair is a hollow spine delivering venom. Causes swelling, numbness, then severe pain. Found on trees/shrubs in Texas area.

Saddleback Caterpillars

About 1 inch with green body and brown patches. Brown patch on back looks like a saddle. Edges have knobs covered in tiny spines that deliver painful stings.

Hag Moth Caterpillars

Orange body with 6 arm-like extensions on each side. Covered in thin white stinging hairs. Named "hag" for disheveled appearance.

Know When They're Active

Most active during warm months. Become more aggressive as it gets colder because food becomes scarce and they become territorial.

If You Encounter a Nest

Avoid sudden movements that may aggravate insects. Remove yourself from the area as fast as possible without swatting or panicking.

Professional Removal

If a nest is found where it cannot be avoided, enlist professionals to remove it. Never attempt removal yourself.

Remove Stinger

Scrape out (don't pinch as it injects more venom)

Wash Area

Clean with soap and water

Cold Compress

Apply to reduce swelling

Treat Itching

Use hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion