“The main difference between hornets and wasps such as paper wasps and yellow jackets is size, with hornets being more robust and larger in size by comparison. “A hornet is actually a type of wasp,” Troyano says. Waspsįor the record, wasps and hornets are not the same thing. Worth noting: Honey bees typically die after they sting a person, and ground-nesting bees “are not aggressive,” so the odds of being stung by one are slim, Ramsey says. Check here to see how you can ease your pain after a bee sting. The pain doesn’t last forever, but a sting will usually cause swelling and itching before it all fades. When a bee stings you, its stinger detaches and continues to pump venom into you until you remove it, which doesn’t feel good, Pereira says. “However, for a person with allergies to bee stings, even one sting can be life threatening.” “ Bee stings typically result in immediate pain and localized reaction of mild swelling, redness, and itching at the site of the sting,” Troyano says. They also like wood that has an unpainted surface. “Both can be seen on flowers as they forage for nectar,” she says.Ĭarpenter bees tend to nest in a “wide variety of wood,” including partially decayed trees or in structural timber that is exposed, Troyano says. Honey bees like to build hives in hollow trees, while bumble bees will nest in cavities like abandoned rodent burrows,” Troyano says. It depends on what kind of bee you’re talking about. “They have a lot of hairs covering their body to help them collect pollen.”īees usually range in size from a quarter of an inch to up to an inch long, Ramsey says. Pereira, Ph.D., an insect research scientist with the University of Florida. Honey bees are likely the most common type of bee you’ll come into contact with, entomologist Roberto M. “Honey bees are banded orange-yellow and brown to black in color, but also hairy in appearance.” “Bumble bees and carpenter bees are robust insects that are rounder in shape and commonly black and yellow in color,” Nancy Troyano, Ph.D., board-certified entomologist and director of operations education and training for Western Exterminator Company. “Another type of bee that may be seen in open areas of yards during the spring are solitary, ground-nesting bees,” Ramsey says. The most common types of bees you’re likely to stumble across are honey bees, carpenter bees, and bumble bees, says board-certified entomologist Glen Ramsey, senior technical services manager at Orkin. What are the most common bee species in the U.S.? But when it’s stacked up against a hornet or wasp, it can be a little tougher to know what you’re dealing with.

You probably know a bee when you see one. So, it might be useful to know what you’re up against when you do encounter one of these flying critters by learning exactly who’s who. You can spray all the insect repellent you can stand, but in reality, you’re probably going to have to cross paths with one or even all of these pests at one time or another. In a perfect world, you’d go through life never having to interact with one.

Unfortunately, some of these flying insects sting too, making the odds of encountering a bee, wasp, or hornet pretty high during the warmer seasons.īut despite the fact that they are all capable of stinging you, bees, wasps, and hornets are actually pretty different. Well, it’s about that time: prime season for winged insects to peruse flowers and backyard barbecues, throwing quite the wrench into our favorite outdoor activities. We updated this article in June 2023 to add more information about each featured product, based on extensive research done by our team. When to see a doctor about bee, wasp, or hornet stings.

Does bumble bee sting