The buzz on battling flying, stinging summer bugs (BPT) - Summer
picnic season is upon us, and that means it is time to grab the
sunglasses, cooler and sunscreen, and head outdoors. But people
are not the only ones who want to enjoy the warm weather.
Flying, stinging insects like bees and wasps are abuzz, and make
their presence known when collecting pollen and nectar as the
weather warms. "In the proper environment, bees, wasps and
yellow jackets can be very beneficial," says Ron Harrison,
entomologist and Orkin technical services director. "In addition
to pollinating flowers and plants, they eat grubs, flies and
other harmful pests. It is when they are aggravated or feel
threatened that they can be a bigger problem." There are more
than 20,000 known bee species around the world. Their stings can
be painful and may cause allergic reactions. About 2 million
Americans are allergic to insect stings, according to the
American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, and many of
them are at risk of life-threate