Water features such as backyard ponds have become popular with homeowners in recent years. Besides providing lovely vistas, ponds bring the soothing sounds of visiting birds, perhaps gentle whispers of breezes in the plantings...ah. However, they also attract some not so fun visitors - bees and wasps.

It seems a case of "If you build it they will come," and if "they" are honeybees and you can stay a foot or so away from them, perhaps they can become just another element of your backyard environment. However, Yellow Jackets, which are actually a type of wasp, are carnivorous social hunters, and have ruined many an al fresco gathering. Talk about uninvited guests!

In these days of ecological awareness, the old remedy of grabbing the insecticide has given way to other methods, ranging from various forms of suffocation to skillful applications of targeted poisons. After all, careless spraying of toxins can kill all the pond inhabitants - fish, frogs, plants, which somewhat defeats the purpose of having a pond.

Bees and wasps gather around ponds because they're handy sources of drinking water. Rock borders and electrical boxes are also good nesting places.

If you decide to do it, try to tackle the problem yourself; first wait until an hour or so after sundown, when the winged inhabitants have returned home and are settling down for the night. Then, some options, after locating the entrance (s) are:

* Spray a fire extinguisher at or into the nest. The compressed carbon dioxide freezes everything it touches, including plants, so pay attention.

* Plug ground nest openings and then soak the nest with your garden hose repeatedly. If run-off is not a problem, use soapy water.

* There are some poison-free insecticides available that are orange-based or made with fresh mint extract and work through suffocation. Once the wasps are dead or have simply left, the nest can be removed during the winter.

* A creative method uses a shop vac filled with soapy water. The crevice tool is inserted into the nest entrance and sucks the critters into the tank.

So, if it's summertime and the living is not easy because your backyard pond is attracting stingers and biters along with the birds, size up your problem; and take action, even if it's to pick up the phone and hire an expert.

If your problem is just too big for you to handle, you will want to consult an eco-responsible bee catcher or bee removal service. If you've discovered a large underground colony of Yellow Jackets, caution is probably best advised. These creatures pack a nasty sting, and are pretty aggressive when disturbed, making a wasp removal service the way to go.