Bees and Wasp FAQ
Bees and wasps are flying insects that are closely related to ants. They are found on almost every continent and in every habitat that contains insect-pollinated flowering plants.
Bees have adapted to feeding on nectar and pollen, nectar being primarily as an energy source, and nectar mainly for protein and other nutrients. Bees have a long, complex tongue like appendage that lets them collect nectar from flowers. Bees are fairly small, ranging from 5/64' long to 1.5'. The most popular known bee is the European honey bee, which produces honey and can be under human management known as apiculture, or beekeeping.
Bees may be solitary or live in various types of communities, known as hives or colonies. Depending on the species of bee, and season of the year, any colony can vary in size from a few dozen bees to hundreds. A colony is a natural bee community, containing a single queen bee, workers, and sometimes drones. If the nest is provided by humans, it's known as a hive, and can have up to 40,000 bees at their annual peak during spring.
Solitary bees may make a nest out of reeds and twigs, but commonly are tunnels in the ground. Bees have a stinger that can give a painful sting, bees are generally non-aggressive if left undisturbed. Some people however have allergies to a bees sting, and being stung could make a person very sick or in some severe cases causes death. Medical attention should be sought immediately if stung by a bee and the victim has allergies.
A wasp is a predatory flying, stinging insect that is not a bee or an ant, however related. Parasitic wasps are used more and more in agriculture as pest control, as they have little impact on crops, but prey on pest insects that do cause impact.
Wasps, like bees, can either be solitary or social insects. Solitary wasps will generally live and function alone, and most will not build nests. Social wasps however, live in colonies that can house up to several thousand, though often only the king and queen wasps can mate, the majority of the colony being sterile.
Similar to a bee, an adult wasp can feed off of nectar, though some are omnivorous, and feed on a variety of fruit, nectar, and carrion. A larvae wasp is generally parasitic, feeding on insects brought to them by the adults.
A wasp nest can vary by species and location, many social wasps will produce a paper pulp nest on trees, in attics, holes in the ground or other sheltered areas that provide a means to the outdoors. Like a bee sting, some people may have severe allergies to a wasp sting, and should seek medical attention if stung.
A bee's stinger is barbed, and when they sting, the stinger will stick, and the bee will fly away, leaving the stinger and a venomous sack attached. A wasp however, has a smooth stinger, and therefore can sting multiple times. Care should be used when removing a bee's stinger, and done so in a scrapping motion with your nail, and never try to pick it out with your thumb and forefinger, as that will squeeze the venom sack, forcing more venom into your system.
Bees, wasps, and their respective colonies should not be approached or handled except by professionals.
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