How To Tell The Difference Between A Wasp And A Bee

How To Tell The Difference Between A Wasp And A Bee

If you don’t know the difference between a wasp and a bee, you probably will soon enough. If you live in North America, you have likely seen many of both insects, but may not know what to look for in order to tell them apart. While they are similar in appearance and behavior, there are subtle differences that can help you identify them.

Everybody’s scared of wasps! Especially when they have a good chance of being stung by one. In general, bees tend to be shy and not aggressive as wasps are. However, there are some people who are allergic to bee stings while they are not allergic to wasps’. Despite the general differences between bees and wasps, there is no guarantee that you can differentiate them just by looking at the colors.

If you live in a region that has bugs, it’s important to know how to tell the difference between a wasp and a bee. Here’s an easy guide to some common insects found on your property, without a microscope!

How To Tell The Difference Between A Wasp And A Bee

If you’re not sure whether a flying insect is a wasp or a bee, there are some easy ways to tell the difference.

First, look at the shape of their body. Wasps are more slender than bees, and their wings are not as hairy. Bees have broader bodies and have fuzzy-looking wings.

Second, examine the position of their antennae. Bees have straight antennae that point forward, while wasps’ antennae are bent at the tip.

Third, look at how they fly. Bees tend to buzz around quickly in a flurry of activity, while wasps are more sedate fliers with slower wing beats.

There are a lot of bees and wasps out there, and sometimes it can be hard to tell them apart.

But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here’s how to tell the difference between a bee and a wasp:

– Bees have hairy bodies and wasps do not.

– Bees have hairy legs and wasps do not.

– Bees have two pairs of wings (one pair for flying and one pair for carrying pollen) and wasps have only one pair of wings that they use for flying.

– Wasps are generally smaller than bees, but not always—especially if it’s a male bee!

How To Tell The Difference Between A Wasp And A Bee

Wasp	Honey Bees

Masonry Bees	Bumble Bees

Bees are often confused with wasps because they have a similar shape. However, wasps have distinct yellow/black bands around the abdomen whereas bees have a more non-descript light brown/brown-yellow colour. Bees tend to be ‘hairy’ to allow pollen to be gathered more easily whilst wasps tend to be bald and shiny in appearance.

Honey  bees are social insects and live in a nest which may contain several thousand workers. Unlike wasps and bumble bees, the honey bee’s nest survives for many years.

If you are unsure as to whether you have a wasp’s nest or bee’s nest you should look carefully at the brickwork to see if they are going in or out of a single hole/air brick or investigating several holes over an area wider than one foot.

Wasps will use a single hole but masonry bees will investigate several. A further test is whether or not the activity continues on cold overcast days or just warm sunny days. Masonry bees will only be active on sunny days.

Although honey bees are capable of stinging, they are generally not aggressive and will not sting unless provoked. Bees should, preferably, be left alone but if you wish further advice on their removal you should contact a beekeeper or a pest control company.

List Of How To Tell The Difference Between A Wasp And A Bee