Bees, Wasps and Hornets

In early spring time you start to see familiar yellow and black stripped insects emerging from winter hibernation and flying in your garden. Would you know if it was a wasp, bee, or a hornet?

There are thousands of different types of wasps, bees and hornets in the world and not all of them sting. They may look similar but they're very different in terms of where they live and what they eat. And some such as the honey bees are vital for our ecosystem in terms of food production.

Wasps

Wasps are carnivores and use their stingers to lay eggs in their prey (humans are not prey so don’t worry) this is why they sting more, and only the female can sting!

Wasps make their nests out of small pieces of wood which they chew to a pulp and spit out to build their walls.

Photograph of wasps swarming around their nest

It is best not to disturb their nests or flap your arms around when you see them as this will provoke them and you are more likely to get stung. Its best call in an expert if you suspect you have a wasps nest.

We have a list of pest control contractors on our website that provide wasp treatment, it is best to check our website for this information.

http://www.worcsregservices.gov.uk/pest-control/pest-control.aspx

Bees

Bees are flying insects that collect nectar and pollen to make honey. They live and store their honey in hives. When a bee stings a human, its stinger becomes embedded in the skin which kills the bee. The chances of getting stung by a bee are very low unless the bee feels attacked.

It is best not to disturb their nests or flap your arms around when you see them as this will provoke them and you are more likely to get stung.

Bees are generally easy to spot because of their golden colouring and the tiny hairs all over their bodies which make them appear 'fuzzy'.

There is no pest control service for bees, if you suspect you have a Honey Bee swarm visit the British Bee Keepers Association and contact a local bee keeper local for help:-

https://wbka.uk/

Photograph of bees swarming around their nest

Hornets

Hornets are specific types of wasp and are usually a little rounder and fatter than the common wasp. Although they nest in the same way as wasps, hornets are known to be less aggressive than wasps provided they are not provoked. Hornets can fly at night hunting for moths and other night insects.

Hornet stings are more painful to humans than a typical wasp sting because of the chemicals found in their venom. Like wasps they can sting repeatedly. It is best not to disturb their nests or flap your arms around when you see them as this will provoke them and you are more likely to get stung.

An easy way to tell hornets and wasps apart is their brown, red and yellowish-orange markings with little black on the body. They can grow to be a whopping 5.5cm in length.

We have a list of pest control contractors on our website that can help you if you suspect you have a hornets nest, check our website for this information.

http://www.worcsregservices.gov.uk/pest-control/pest-control.aspx

Asian Hornets

Asian hornets are a species of hornet which is not native to the UK. They are smaller than our native species and darker in colour. They pose a significant risk to honey bees and other pollinating insects.

Difference between European hornets and Asian Hornet:-

Details on how to report sightings of the Asian hornet can be found on the GOV.UK website:-

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/asian-hornet-uk-sightings-in-2018

In brief what is the difference between wasps, bees and hornets:-

Wasps, hornets and honey bees can be mistaken for one another because both insects are capable of giving painful stings.

Wasps and Hornets do look so similar; however hornets are known to be less aggressive than wasps if unprovoked.

Hornets and wasps can sting repeatedly, unlike honey bees.

Wasps are naturally a more aggressive predator and are more likely to sting.

Bees tend to be hairy, while wasps and hornets usually have smooth and shiny skin

Some examples of what bees, wasps and hornets look like

Photo of European hornet (left) and Asian hornet (right) :-