If you're more than ten years old, there is no doubt you've seen a stinging insect. You may have even been stung by one. We all have a story or two, after all, the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology reports that stings from insects send more than half a million people to the hospital every year. But how well do you know these painful pests? Would you be able to distinguish between them in a line up? Do you know where they live or what danger they pose to your family? Here are some facts about stinging pests. See if you can tell if the fact is about wasps, honey bees, bumblebees, yellow jackets or carpenter bees. The answer can be found at the bottom of this article.

1. These fat insects are yellow and black and hang around near the eaves of your home, or under the porch. Sometimes you can see them crawling up inside circular holes that look like they were drilled by a professional. Only the female of this species can sting you, and if she does, she will die. Needless to say, she isn't motivated to sting you unless she is handled.

2. These sleek stinging insect like to build their nest in the ground and the vibration from an approaching lawnmower will send them swarming into the air. They are known to give pursuit and even go around obstacles to get at their target. If allowed to get into a manmade structure that says warm through the winter, they will continue to expand their nest to giant proportions.

3. These fat and furry pests like to live in the ground. They can be found lumbering through the air near the flowers in your backyard. Though mostly docile, these stinging pests do not have barbs on their stingers, and can sting multiple times when harmed or defending their nest.

4. These stingers build large, grey cocoon-like nests under eaves and roof peaks. It doesn't take much to provoke these aggressive insects. They will swarm if threatened, pursue their target, and grip on as they sting multiple times.

5. You won't have much to fear from these little black and yellow insects unless they are Africanized. They lose vital parts when they sting because their stinger is barbed. When these little guys sting you, it is important to get the stinger out as quickly as possible. Don't pinch because you'll squeeze the rest of the venom in. Scratch the stinger out.

Here are the pests in order: carpenter bees, yellow jackets, bumble bees, wasps and honey bees. How did you do? Did you get them all? If so, you may want to enroll in entomology school. Even if you didn't, now you know a little more about stinging pests, and that is definitely a good thing.

Serving Albany and the Capital District and Adirondack region, contact Thomas Pest Services to find out how we can help you protect your family from stings around your home this summer.