Will It Sting? Your Guide to Bees, Wasps, and Other Flying Bugs

Summer is in full swing. The sun is shining, and the temperatures are right for being outdoors enjoying a variety of activities and events. But we're not the only ones who love the warmer weather, several of our friends in the insect kingdom are big fans too, including those who can ruin your good time with a quick poke of their stinger and other who look like they could, but are otherwise harmless despite their appearance.

The question is, "How do you tell the difference between the stingers and the non-stingers?" A great question because they can all look pretty menacing, but as the old saying goes, "Looks can be deceiving." Fortunately, The Bee Man Candle Company in Canastota, New York is here to help.

The company posted the following cheat sheet to their Facebook page a couple of weeks ago.

Most of us in the Tri-State have had encounters with most if not all of these. We had a real issue with Carpenter Bees at our old house on Evansville's north side. They had decided to make the exterior of our detached garage their home, and are a real pain to get rid of. They essentially burrow into wood and create a space for the queen to chill and create more bees. We tried flying bug spray, and plugging the holes with caulk to trap them inside. It didn't matter. They would just chew a new hole through the wood. The best thing we found was to use a tennis racket and smack the little suckers out of the air then stomp on them. If you have a better method, drop it in the comments below.

Keep this list handy so next time you're out enjoying nature, or just trying to enjoy a picnic in the park, you'll know whether you're good to just shoo these little punks away, or pack up and run.

[Source: The Bee Man Candle Company]