Wasps and Bees - What Are the Differences?

Many individuals cannot make a difference between a wasp and a bee when one of them is flying around and buzzing nearby. While there has been a lot of talk about the importance of bees, and more and more people seem to finally understand, wasps are considered pests that have no other purpose than to annoy and sting.

And going back to people not being able to tell the difference, indeed, both of them have yellow and black bodies, both of them fly, buzz, etc. Even though they seem to look the same, there are many significant differences between the two species of insects.

Understanding the importance of knowing the difference

While both bees and wasps are very similar, they are usually equally unwelcomed to nest around or inside our homes. However, determining which species it is can help a lot in identifying the most appropriate plan of action.

Recognizing the wasps' characteristics such as appearance, nesting habits, as well as what differentiates them from bees will help you figure out which insect is the cause of your problem.

Physical appearance

A wasp's body and legs are hairless, while bees have hairy bodies and legs. The abdomen, as well as the thorax of a wasp, is cylindrical. The same body parts of the bee are round. The legs of the wasps are waxy, while those of bees are flat and wide.

Nests

The way a nest looks like and its location should also be a good indicator of the species you are dealing with. Bees usually build their nests in cavities or in places that protect them from the elements. You might find them in wall cracks, attics, or trees.

Bees live in colonies, and they go out a lot in search of nectar and pollen that they collect from various parts of flowering plants. In case you notice a wet spot on the wall, or if you hear a buzzing sound in the wall, there are great chances you are dealing with a honey bee infestation.

You should know that bees cannot create any structural damage. However, if the nest is abandoned, the wax comb and honey can melt and ruin drywall, siding, and insulation. Bee nests typically have only one entrance and the same one can be used for multiple years. Wasp nests, on the other hand, are quite different.

Since they do not have wax-producing glands, they build their nests from a paper-like substance that they extract from wood pulp. Social wasps such as hornets, yellow jackets, and paper wasps build their nests and form colonies.

Solitary wasps like potter wasps or mud daubers mostly live alone and they do not build any nests. The latter construct mud cells in hidden places, usually on the side of the walls. There are also wasp species that burrow into plant stems or soil. There are those who do not build any kind of nests and simply find naturally occurring cavities like small holes in wood.

Roles in the ecosystem

The benefits of bees are well-known but few people know that wasps also play an important part in sustaining ecosystems. Bees are great pollinators. Using their hairy legs, they are responsible for gathering and transporting over 80% of the pollen needed by most vegetables, fruits, and other plants.

A world without bees would translate into a dramatic shift in our diets because a great part of the food would diminish and even disappear due to the lack of pollination. Coffee would become extremely rare and very expensive because its flower is only opened for pollination for just a few days every year.

Wasps are not as good at pollinating as bees, but they do their part as well. They represent the perfect natural pest control because they are predators that feed insects to their younglings. They prey on flies, crickets, caterpillars, and many more. As a result, wasps are controlling the population of quite a few types of crop-killing pests.

Next time you want to kill a bee or a wasp, you might want to think again. They are actually doing more good than harm. If you leave them alone, you might not even get to know how it is to be stung by any of these insects.

Still, if you fear that you are dealing with an infestation, you might want to look for good wasp traps or other safe solutions to remove them from your property.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes.