Bees and Wasps
What is the difference?
Wasps and Bees are beneficial insects, although they are generally considered to be pests because of their ability to sting. Wasps, in particular, can become a problem in autumn when they may disrupt many outdoor activities. People often mistakenly call all stinging insects "bees". While both social wasps and bees live in colonies ruled by queens and maintained by workers, they look and behave differently. It is important to distinguish between these insects because different methods may be necessary to control them if they become a nuisance.
Wasps have a slender body with a narrow waist, slender, cylindrical legs, and appear smoothed-skinned and shiny. European wasps, Yellow-jackets, hornets, and paper wasps are the most common types of wasps encountered by people.
Bees are robust-bodied and very hairy compared with wasps . Their hind legs are flattened for collecting and transporting pollen. Bees are important pollinators. Honey bees are responsible for more than 80% of the pollination required by most fruits, legumes, and vegetable seed plants as well as many ornamentals that are grown in our landscapes.
European Wasps
Though bees and European wasps are of a similar size and shape, you will easily be able to differentiate between the two by their colours. European Wasps are bright yellow and black with bright yellow legs. They are predominantly black on their front half, with bright yellow markings and predominantly bright yellow on their back half with black stripes and black dots between the stripes, down each side of the abdomen; (sometimes joining the stripes). European wasps also have longer, thicker antennae than bees.
Bees display a dull shade of yellow or a golden brown colour. They also have black stripes around their body; however bees do not have the black dot characteristics of the European wasp. Unlike the European wasp that has yellow legs, bees have black legs. This is probably the easiest way to differentiate between the two.
European Wasps can nest in various cavities, walls, ceilings and trees to name a few. However the most likely place for a European wasp nest to occur is in the ground. These nests are easily sighted due to the constant European wasp activity above the nest. However the nest holes could be well hidden amongst vegetation.
Bees often nest in tree or wall cavities and can nest in compost bins and cavities such as old suitcases. Bees, like European wasps, are not aggressive and will go about their day to day duties unless they feel threatened or are under attack. Try to avoid the flight path of swarming bees and wasps. Both bees and wasps are best left to their own devices.
About Bees
Bees are most active during the warmer months of the year, from, early Spring to late Summer. They invade houses in order to establish new colonies and to shelter. Scout bees will fly around a building, looking for entry points. Usually these are holes in the mortar of brick walls, in ventilation holes (weep holes) and under tiles on roofs etc. They do not fly far from a previous colony and it is not unusual to see a swarm of bees settle onto a house in just a few seconds.
This is why bee jobs are considered to be an emergency as many people are allergic to their stings, some severely. They are not naturally aggressive except when defending an established hive. People normally get stung by bees when they step on, lean on or pick them off their clothing. Walking within their flight path can agitate them, as will fast and jerky movements near the hive.