by Judy English

The bumble bee, honeybee, mason bee, yellow jacket and bald-faced hornet are a few of the beneficial insects that help to pollinate plants and to control the population of non-beneficial insects.

However, the bald-faced hornet’s aggressive behavior toward humans may, in some situations, overwhelm its beneficial contribution.

How are these beneficial insects recognized and what can you do to contribute to their habitat?

• Bumble bees are large, about 1 inch in length, black and yellow and make a loud droning buzz as they fly from flower to flower, spreading pollen. Bumble bees nest in the soil or in leaf litter where a single queen lays 8-12 eggs in spring.

Emerging worker bees are able to fly in very cool weather, making them important pollinators of a wide variety of early flowers. Leave a portion of your yard not mowed and untilled to provide a favorable nesting site for bumble bees.

• Honeybees are black and gold, fuzzy, have transparent wings, are about 3/4-inch in length and a bit smaller overall than bumble bees. Honeybees are active pollinators of many plants and can frequently be identified by the pollen that accumulates on their back legs. Mites have seriously decreased the number of honeybees. You can encourage wild honeybee populations by growing flowering plants throughout your landscape.

• Mason bees look more like a large housefly than a bee. They are deep blue-black in color and are non-aggressive. Mason bees pollinate during the time that apple and cherry trees are in blossom and die out by summer. By building a mason bee nest near your apple orchard, you can improve the bees’ habitat while improving pollination of your apple blossoms.

• Yellow jackets are known both as pollinators and predators. Like other wasps, they feed on caterpillars, flies and other beetle grubs. Yellow jackets have non-fuzzy, black and yellow striped bodies, are about 3/4-inch in length and have transparent wings. Yellow jackets are territorial. Protect their habitat and yourself by avoiding their nest once it has been located. Entice yellow jackets away from your picnic lunch by placing raw meat a distance away from the picnic area. Yellow jacket stings are a hazard to individuals who are allergic.

• Bald-faced hornets also are pollinators and predators but are larger and up to 3/4-inch in length. However, they are very aggressive when disturbed. They are mostly black with a white face and white markings on the tip of the abdomen.

Bald-faced hornets build a paper nest that can measure up to 14 inches in diameter by 2 feet in length — quite impressive!

Beware — they will protect their home! If the nest is located near an entry door, along a heavily used pathway or driveway or a children’s play area, consider having the nest removed by someone experienced in dealing with hornets.

Judy English is a Washington State University-certified, Clallam County Master Gardener.