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Swarm Removal

Please contact us at:

Ken (360) 649-4377

cowlitzbeekeepers@gmail.com 

to remove honeybee swarms. 

Someone will be out the same day.

Yellow Jacket

  1. European paper wasps and yellow jackets can be easily identified by looking for their yellow and black bands which are observable on their abdomens.

  2. They do not have hair on them like bees would.  

  3. Wasps tend to have a very thin middle section and distinct thorax and abdomen.

  4. Wasps are carnivores, and will be travelling to locations where there are other insects to eat.

  5. Wasps and other carnivorous insects will also be attracted to human food, like your picnic. Honey bees normally won't come around human food.

  6. paper wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets use saliva and paper to build their nests. 

Identify a Honeybee

  1. Honey bees have a distinctive barrel-shaped body and don't have a thin middle section between the thorax and abdomen like other insects.  Honey bees have a thorax and abdomen that look like one complete piece.

  2. Honey bees are generally covered in small hairs that make them look fuzzy all over.

  3. Honey bees are pollinators and will be flying between flowers and their nest to provide pollen and nectar to the colony.

  4. Honey bee nests are easy to spot because they have the distinctive “honeycomb” structure in either white or yellow color. They won't build nests hanging from tree branches, like other types of bees, because the nest and honey would be unprotected. Instead, look inside of hollow trees or man made structures.

  • Honey bees will never make a nest in the ground. If you see insects have nested in holes, they are likely Yellow Jacket wasps, which are very dangerous and can sting.

  • Honey bee nests never have a protective or paper-like coating around them. They are open to the air and can appear shiny due to the nectar and honey being produced.​

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Nests

Honey Bee nest will never be out in the open.  They will be inside trees or inside a structure.  

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Are they Bees?

Yellowjackets (including hornets) and paper wasps are the most common types of wasps encountered in Washington.  Cowlitz Beekeepers Association only re-home Honey Bees

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Bald-face Hornet

  • Largely black in color, with a mostly white face.

  • Nest: Bald-faced hornets build aerial nests out of paper carton. The nests are usually in exposed locations, often on trees, utility poles, overhangs or other structures. The nests can be quite large, growing to 14 inches in diameter and 24 inches in length.

  • Threat: Bald-faced hornets are considered beneficial insects because they control many pest insect species. However, if their nest is located near a structure, control is warranted.

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