Yellowjackets

• Yellowjackets are highly aggressive wasps that love to forage for grub around empty soda cans, dumpsters and trash pails. They build their nests elsewhere, however, particularly in hollow spaces like between walls, in attics and inside crawl spaces. Yellowjackets are a common problem in outdoor recreational areas like golf courses and around picnic tables. One should treat a yellowjacket like a bee---back away slow and don't bother it, because it will sting if it feels threatened.
  
  

Paper Wasps

• Paper wasps are another common flying insect in Atlanta. Known for erecting nests from paper (which they manufacture using wood and their own body secretions), paper wasps are very solitary insects. They aren't known for cooperating together to create very large nests. Instead, they create small nests. They aren't very aggressive, though they will still sting if they feel threatened. Since they don't collect in large groups, paper wasps aren't usually a problem in Atlanta.
  
  

Cicada Killers

• Cicada killers, also known as lawn wasps, look like yellowjackets, but they don't have a stinger, so they're harmless. If threatened, a cicada killer will buzz around people in an aggressive manner to scare them, though it's all really just for show. However, cicada killers are very social, and they're known for creating unwanted holes in wood.
  
  

Digger Bees

• Unlike conventional bees, digger bees like to reside under the ground. They still fly around and have the power to sting, but they're much less aggressive than other bees. The holes they create can be unsightly, but they won't damage one's lawn. In fact, digger bees can be beneficial in that they help pollinate plants and eliminate harmful bugs and insects. Plus, digger bees only dig around for four to six weeks, after which they move on.