Honey bees vary in color from yellow to black, have black or brown bands across the abdomen and are much smaller than a carpenter bee. The foraging honey bees have pollen baskets on each hind leg, which will often be loaded with a ball of yellow or dark green pollen. The honey bee is the only stinging insect that can normally overwinter as a colony inside the wall of a structure in South Carolina. Carpenter bees are robust, heavy-bodied bees that range from to 1 inch in length. These insects bore -inch diameter holes that appear to be perfectly round on exterior wooden surfaces.
Yellow jackets lack the dense body hairs that are found on carpenter bees and honey bees.
Yellow jackets do not have the pollen baskets on the hind legs. The yellow jacket is about inch long, and the abdomen is characterized by having alternating yellow and black bands. The property owner must first decide whether to seek out a professional to do the job. Some beekeepers are experienced in honey bee removals and will remove the bees for a fee, but sometimes a carpenter will be needed to assist in reconstructing the wall. If you do not know a local beekeeper, call your Clemson University Cooperative Extension office, which may have a listing of local beekeepers.