WASPS VERSUS BEES: KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

Spring brings forth sunny days and warm weather to sooth our yearnings for summer. But as the birds begin chirping and the flowers begin to bloom, the pests begin to appear once again.

Imagine it’s a warm, sunny day, and have packed a picnic and ventured to the park. You lay down your blanket and begin to eat your lunch and soon see a yellow bug buzzing around your precious food.

What decided to attempt to ruin your picnic? A wasp or a bee? Does it matter? Stinging insects good or bad cause fear in many.

While most people automatically associate yellow and black looking bugs with bees, they also often automatically tense up, believing they will be stung...and it will hurt bad!

The differences between bees and wasps are significant in determining whether you have a pest problem, especially given how crucial bees are to our world and livelihood, especially honey bees. Bees are endangered and have a variety of organized efforts dedicated towards their preservation. Unfortunately bees are commonly mistaken for wasps, or nor handled correctly, which result in unnecessary killing of healthy colonies.

Realistically, bees are relatively harmless and generally avoid people unless provoked. Wasps are generally more aggressive, and are more likely to be the unwelcome guest to intrude your picnic.

How to tell the difference between a wasp and a bee

The first (and arguably the easiest) way to tell the difference is by appearance. They do look different. Generally, bees are fuzzy with a round body, whereas wasps have elongated, smooth bodies.  There are different types of bees and wasps. Vist our pest library to learn the different species of bees and species of wasps common in Ontario.

Secondly, bees are pollinators, meaning they feed on various plants and flowers to carry and distribute pollen. For the most part, bees mind their own business, and have no intention of bothering you. Wasps, on the other hand, are predators and can be aggressive. While they occasionally feed on nectar or pollen, wasps also feed on flies, insects and even caterpillars. They are also attracted to human food, especially high fructose corn syrup-based treats (which contain glucose, sucralose or sucrose) and decomposing meats.

Wasps and bees also create different nests. A bees nest is built out of wax cells that stack on top of each other to create a honeycomb appearance, which you will typically see in trees. Bees secrete the wax-like substance for these nests. Most wasps nests are constructed of papery material that they create by chewing wood fibers into a pulp. Mud dauber wasps, as per their name, make these nests from mud. Wasps are more likely to build their nests in obscure locations, such as under decks or eaves and even with the walls of your home or dwelling. 

In contrast to the yellow bumblebee, wasps are a larger, more serious pest due to the fact that they are more aggressive, more likely to sting you in large numbers, and if they nest in the walls of your home, they can be very dangerous to you and your family.

What to do if you see a wasp nest

If you do see a nest but never any wasps around it, it is possible it is not being used anymore, as wasps usually only use their nest for a season and move onto to new locations and new nests. It might not be vacant though so it is best to call a licensed pest control professional, like Environmental Pest Control, to inspect the problem for you.

Help preserve honeybees!

If you discover a honey bee infestation in your home, cottage or business, consider a honey bee extraction service by our licensed beekeeper. This approach will help preserve honey bees and prevent unnecessary harm to them.

For more information about how to get rid of wasps and how to get rid of hornets, visit our helpful online Pest Library.