Whats the difference between a honey bee, a bumble bee and a wasp?
Bees and wasps often cause confusion in identification, but these insects are really quite different in appearance. All three are social insects that live in colonies, and all have the ability to sting. You can see many pictures of bees and wasps here. The honey bee, in the genus Apis, typically ranges in colour from almost black to orangey yellow, with dark banded stripes on their elongated bodies. The bumblebee, in the genus Bombus, has a larger and more rounded hairy body than the honey bee. It varies in colour, but typically has a dark body with yellow/orange bands or vice versa. The tail of the bumblebee may be black, white or red. Bumblebees are also social insects, but live in much smaller colonies than honey bees. The classic “yellowjacket” wasp is a similar size to the honey bee, but has a flatter and more tapered body that has been described as “shark-like”. Wasps can be a nuisance during the summer because they are attracted by food, particularly sugary foods, and can be per
