5 Nasty Idaho Bees & Wasps That May Be Waiting to Sting You

The trees are blooming. Those bulbs you planted last fall have burst through the ground. While seeing that extra pop of color feels fantastic, you know what that means right? Bees and wasps are about to get active again.

That’s why we’re somewhat glad that our apartment complex left us a note that they’re planning to do inspections of our units and garages this month. We’re crossing our fingers that maintenance will remove THIS from our garage. 

READ MORE: If You See Any of These 7 Bugs in Idaho, Kill Them Immediately

Last spring, we noticed a little gray blob of mud stuck to the wall of the garage. At the time, we didn’t think much of it but come mid-June? The number of holes in that mud quickly escalated from one to five and we became a little uneasy about what could’ve been living in it! Of course, we did what any practical person would do in this situation. Post the picture on Facebook and ask “WHAT IS THIS?!”

Our network of self-proclaimed entomologists seemed to agree that it was a Mud Dauber nest. That entire summer, we co-existed with the Mud Dauber nest. We never saw the bug that built it or her babies and for that, we’re grateful. Ultimately, we left the nest alone because Mud Daubers are usually pretty docile and don’t get aggressive, even if their nest is threatened. According to Owyhee Environmental, these wasps love to munch on spiders. We hate spiders, so keeping the nest around seemed mutually beneficial for all the parties. 

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That said, we do have a family member with a bee allergy. Even though he rarely goes in the garage, we still wouldn’t mind maintenance getting rid of this thing once and for all. 

Unfortunately, not ALL of the black and yellow winged insects you see around Boise are as harmless as the mud daubers. Swarm season in Boise starts in early March and can last into July, so now’s the time to familiarize yourself with these creatures and what their nests look like. That way you know what action to take when one appears on your property.