Bug Alert! Bees, Wasps Posing Problems

MEDINA, Ohio — Jeremy Clark of Medina knows what it feels like to be stung by a bee. 

“It’s not pleasant, a lot of swelling and a lot of pain,” he said.

In Ohio, there are 500 species of bees, pollinating our crops and making our flowers bloom year after year.

But the experts say this time of year, bees are on the move, leaving their nests and seeking a warm place to spend the winter.

Fox 8 employee Brian Dick recently discovered a lot of activity in his backyard in Medina.

“I was mowing the grass and looked over and saw a large nest inside the hemlock hedge that I had,” he explained.

The nests Brian discovered actually turned out to be bald-faced hornets, which can be very aggressive this time of year.

For homeowners debating whether or not they should remove the nests, John Jackson of Apex Pest Control said, “When you get into really big hives, it’s really not smart to try to take it down yourself.  You could be stung and potentially put you in the hospital.”

John went on to explain the bald-faced hornet carries a quarter-inch stinger. 

The other thing homeowners need to be concerned with are hives that you can’t see. 

Some bees burrow into wood or even the ground.  This can be of particular concern to children and pets. 

Your best bet, according to John, is to leave it to the professionals to diagnose what’s going on in and around your home, in order to rid yourself of the problem for the season.