Have you seen a nest full of flying black and yellow insects and wondered, “What kind of bee is that?” Maybe you’ve spotted those same pesky colors buzzing around the family pool or hovering near the bleachers at a game. With over 90,000 species of stinging insects in America alone, its no surprise people get confused. So what’s the difference between bees and wasps? And how about hornets and yellow jackets? We at Green Pest Management are here to break it down for you.
Bees
Most bees are fuzzy, unlike their cousins -wasps/hornets- which are sleek, shiny and little to no hair. Bees can vary widley in size, like most stinging insects. Bees can be social or solitary. Meaning some live in hives while others have their own nests. Bees belong to a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea a group currently recognized as a clade called Anthophila. A clade is a group of organisms that evolved from a common ancestor. There are nearly 20,000 known species of bees across seven recognized biological families. And if Anthophila sounds complicated don’t worry it’s just a scientific way of saying “bee”.
Honey bees
Honey bees are about 1.6 cm in long, making them some of the smaller members of the Anthophilia group. They are golden yellow with brown stripes over their body and are covered in fine fuzz. Honey bees are generally non-aggressive and only sting when they feel threatened. Honey bees, like many of their relatives, are essential to food production. In the United States alone, honey bees pollinate an estimated $15 billion worth of crops each year. Without them, we would lose 87 of the world’s leading food crops, including cocoa, tomatoes, almonds, apples, and many more. Honey bees do have stingers, but they can only be used once. This is due to their anatomy: the stinger has barbed edges, and when it becomes lodged in skin, it pulls part of the bee’s abdomen with it. Because of this, the bee dies shortly after stinging. The stinger remains in the skin because of those barbs, continuing to release venom. Honey bee stings are lower on the pain scale, but they are still unpleasant. Their venom contains melittin, histamine, and other proteins that can trigger allergic reactions in some individuals.
Bumble bees
Bumble bees can get fairly large, running from 0.6 to 1 inch in length. Their bodies are much bulkier than the honey bee and most other stinging insects. They are typically black with a bright yellow band across the middle, and they’re covered in thick, dense fuzz. Bumble bees are actually more efficient pollinators than honey bee. While honey bees focus mainly on collecting nectar (and pick up pollen along the way), bumble bees work primarily to gather pollen, making them incredibly valuable to our ecosystem. Bumble bees pollinate around ⅓ of our food, and work alongside the honey bee. They also pollinate wildflowers, and other decorative plants. Bumble bees often nest in abandoned mouse nests and in bird nests, or other sheltered cavities. Bumble bees also have stingers, but won’t die after using their stinger. Their stingers are smooth allowing them to sting multiple times if necessary. Still, bumble bees are generally non-aggressive and only sting when threatened. Their venom can cause allergic reactions, but this happens in only about 1% of cases.
Wasps and Hornets
Yellow jackets
Yellow jackets fall right between wasps and hornets in size. They are larger and bulkier than most wasp, but still smaller than hornets. Yellow jackets have a thick, compact body, and unlike many wasps, their abdomen does not narrow dramatically. Their matte black bodies are marked with intricate yellow patterns, making them easy to recognize. Yellow jackets are known for beginning one of the more aggressive stinging insects. They often build nests underground, and even if you’re not disturbing them they can become extremely territorial. A single nest can house up to 5,000 yellow jackets, and they will defend it fiercely. Unlike bees yellow jackets do not pollinate. They are scavengers and predators, feeding on summer pest like grubs, beetles and other insects. They’re also drawn to meat, sweets, and sugary drinks, which is why they show up at picnics, pools, and outdoor events. Yellow jackets have smooth stingers, meaning they can sting you as many times as they want. Their venom can trigger allergic reactions in about 3% of adults and 0.8% of children.
Wasps
Wasps are some of the smaller insects in this group. While they can be long, their bodies are much skinnier and more segmented than their cousins. When they fly, their long legs dangle beneath them, giving them a very distinct look. Wasps also have intricate markings on their glossy bodies, which help other wasps recognize members of their colony. Wasps prefer to build their nests on man made structures like homes, or on lawn furniture. Their nests resemble open honey combs, and look like an upside down umbrella. Wasps are known for being highly aggressive, even when unprovoked. When a wasp stings, it releases an alarm pheromone that alerts nearby wasps to join the attack. Because their stingers are smooth they can sting multiple times, and will do so if they feel threatened. AlThough wasps aren’t pollinators, they are still incredibly important to the ecosystem like aphids, caterpillars, spiders, and other insects that damage vegetation. Wasps primarily eat other bugs, but will also eat dead animals when available.
Hornets
Hornets are the largest eusocial species in the world. They can get up to two inches long, and their bodies are bulky from their head to their stinger. Their colors are dull, but they still have intricate designs on their bodies. Unlike their close relatives, hornets are not very aggressive. If they are foraging or just hanging out, they aren’t going to sting you because you got too close. They can be territorial over their nests, but they rarely attack if you aren’t doing anything. Hornets prefer trees and bushes as locations for their homes which are gray in color and look like multi layered paper mache. Hornets enjoy tree sap and leaves, but they also hunt flies, bees, and other insects. Surprisingly, Hornets also pollinate. They pollinate fruit trees and flowering plants. Without them, the pollination rate would go down enough to stunt our food supply. Hornets also have a smooth stinger and can sting and inject venom as much as they’d like. The amount they produce is more than any other stinging insect, but it is considered non toxic.
Now as you see different stinging insects around your property you’ll have a bit more knowledge to help you figure out what you are dealing with. At Green Pest Management we never go out of our way to get rid of these insects because we recognize the importance of bees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, and many other stinging insects to our environment. We only treat them when we are called and they are affecting your home in a negative manner. To find out more about our wasp removal, carpenter bee treatment or any pest control needs give us a call for a free quote. To make sure we service your location check out our service area, by clicking the state you reside in. Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland.
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