There is some understandable confusion when it comes to wasp vs bees comparisons. Both species look similar at first glance and they even belong to the same Hymenoptera insect order. But, these are different insects that deviated along separate evolutionary paths during the past 100 million years.
Wasps and hornets are carnivores that hunt and feed on other insects and bees are vegetarians that collect pollen to feed young bees. The females of both species can sting and the males cannot, but beyond these simple distinctions there are other differences and similarities.
Anatomy and Physical Characteristics:
Any honeybee vs wasp comparison has to begin with anatomical differences and physical characteristics:
The European honey bee (Apis mellifera) is a black and brown insect with a ½” long body. This is the typical worker bee that is a major pollinator of crops and this female will live in a beeswax nest hidden in a rock cavity, hollow tree or abandoned underground animal burrow.
These are incredible social insects; there will be a queen, a few hundred male drones and up to 40,000 female worker bees. Together they can create pounds of honey and bee bread (pollen) to feed the adults and the young larvae. These nests are a prime target for bears and other predators and the bees defend their territory by stinging any attackers.
A bee can only sting once. They have a barbed stinger which catches and detaches in the target and the bee will die within a few hours after she loses her stinger.
The true wasp or “yellowjacket” (genera Vespula and Dolichovespula) is a ½” long yellow and black-striped insect. Some are native varieties and others were introduced later from Europe; the German (Vesupula germanica) and common (Vespula vulgaris) wasps.
These wasps are sometimes referred to as “meat bees” because they look like bees at first glance, but they want to eat your food when you’re having a picnic. Wasps are predators that feed on a wide variety of pests and caterpillars. So, they can be an ally if you have a garden that’s plagued with unwanted guests.
But, if you’re planning a butterfly garden, you want to keep yellow-jackets away from the young caterpillars with a baited wasp trap.
Behavior and Nesting Habits:
The wasp nest vs bee nest habits can vary a great deal. There are some solitary wasp species, such as: mud daubers and digger wasps. But, most wasps are social insects that live in a colony with a queen, male drones and female workers much like a bee hive.
The solitary wasps will nest in the ground or natural cavities and social breeds will attach their nests to tree limbs or the eaves of a house. These papery wasp nests are made from chewed fibers and they can form quickly.
All honey bees are social. They live in a nest with several thousand inhabitants and this habitat can survive for years. If you’re unsure about a nest, look at the brickwork to see if the insects are entering and exiting through a single or several wide holes. Wasps tend to favor a single entrance and exit and bees tend to use more. To confirm your suspicions, bees tend to be active on sunny days and wasps will continue to be active on cold or overcast days too.
Ecological Role and Importance of Wasp vs Bees
When people think about wasp vs bees comparisons in terms of their importance and ecological role, they tend to elevate the status of bees:
This is understandable, we would struggle to survive without the pollination of plants and bees are a major contributor to this important work. At least 70 common crops require bee pollination and manual methods are often cost prohibitive. The pollination of wild flowers and trees is also important for the support of other creatures, such as birds, bats, mammals and other insects. This plant life is vital to provide food and shelter to these creatures which supports the entire ecosystem.
Wasps may not have the reputation of honey bees when it comes to ecology, but they do play an important role as predators. They hunt pests like caterpillars and greenfly that can consume a large volume of plant matter in next to no time.
Without wasps we would see far more pests on our crops and in our gardens. But, wasps are also pollinators too, they drink nectar and transfer pollen to different flowers. In fact, drinking pollen is a main cause of their boorish behavior in late summer. By late August, most wasp nests have large numbers of workers that have no larvae to raise.
When there are larvae, the workers collect protein as they hunt to feed the larvae. The larvae can convert this protein rich diet into carbohydrates which are secreted as sugary droplets which the adults can feed on. When there are no larvae, the wasps will search for sugar and this is why they are trying to get into your sugary drinks and desserts. So, when we eat outdoors in August, we are inviting the local wasps to join us in a sugary feast.
Wasp vs Bees– Stings and Defense Mechanisms:
A honey bee will sting if provoked and the female will die in a few hours. But, a wasp can sting multiple times and it will tend to be more aggressive. The sting of a wasp is not left behind in the skin, but it can hurt for 1-2 days or swell for a week.
The stinger of a honey bee is brown and it can be seen protruding from the skin in the affected area. It contains a venom sac that can be annoying for some time after stinging. The stinger can be scraped free with a credit card or knife blade. Don’t touch a bee stinger with your fingers because you are at risk of being stung again with the remaining venom in the sac.
If the stinger is removed within 30 seconds the full venom dose is not delivered and the effects are lessened. The sting site can be washed with soap and water to speed the healing process. If you are stung on a hike, place the stung area under cover to prevent guard bees from smelling the alarm pheromone that can attract further unwanted attention.
Moving calmly away from the bee nest and stinging bees while you cover your face and eyes is the best way to limit damage. Get indoors or into a sealed car with windows closed to limit exposure. In most cases, honey bees will not follow you when you move away from their nest. Resist the urge to jump into water because the bees may be waiting for you when you need to surface to breathe.
Wasp vs Bees- In Conclusion:
When it comes to a direct wasp vs bees comparison, it’s important to understand that both species are beneficial for the environment. Wasps are efficient predators that can manage the pests on the farm and in the garden and they do some pollinating too. Honey bees are very productive, they are excellent pollinators and they tend to be less aggressive. Avoid killing bees and wasps and you will notice positive benefits on the health of your flowers and other plants. If a nest is located near humans, it can be a threat and the hazard should be removed to prevent harm.