Did you know there are over 20,000 bee species? Knowing which bees to look out for can help keep your kids stay sting-free this summer.
Don’t let bees get in the way of your summer family fun. Find out which 4 types of bees you need to beeware of this summer with notes on their appearance, behavior, and sting facts.
1. Honey Bees
What they look like: Honey bees are skinny and furry. They range from about ½ inch to 1 inch in length and are typically black with yellow-orange stripes.
What they do: As you may have guessed, honey bees make honey! They form colonies (learn more about these with a fun craft) and build honeycombs in their hives to store honey. In summer, their “buzzy” season, there can be up to 50,000 worker bees in one hive!
Sting facts: Honey bees generally won’t sting unless they feel threatened. If they do sting, it usually results in a painful welt that clears up within a week unless there is an allergic reaction.
2. Bumblebees
What they look like: Bumblebees are generally larger than honeybees, often closer to an inch long. This plump and fuzzy bee will be black-brown with stripes of yellow fur on the thorax or mid-section. The males have some yellow hairs on their faces too.
What they do: These precious pollinators are known for making large colonies that help pollinate a wide range of crops from soybeans and sunflowers to beans and nut crops. Take a look outside, and you will likely spot bumblebees on several wildflowers and garden plants.
Sting facts: Bumblebees are even less likely to sting than honey bees, but they are able to sting multiple times so "bee" careful.
3. Carpenter Bees
What they look like: Carpenter bees are also on the larger side, never less than 3/4 of an inch long. They are a rich, shiny black color with bright yellow fur on their thorax or mid-section. You may notice their fast-flying patterns that resemble hummingbirds.
What they do: Carpenter bees are known for building nests in raw wood wherever they can find it. While we may not like seeing that, these bees do also help pollinate several plants.
Sting facts: Carpenter bees are more likely than other bees to sting in a swarm if their nest is threatened, so it’s smart to get professional help if dealing with a carpenter bee infestation.
4. Wasps, Hornets, and Yellow Jackets
What they look like: While wasps are technically not bees, bees evolved from wasps. Wasps can look black, dark blue, or red. Yellow jackets, a type of wasp, are black with bright yellow stripes near their stinger. Hornets, another wasp type, are brown with yellow-orange stripes and heads. Wasps have more distinct stripes in general, along with skinnier waists, more slender bodies, and smooth skin without fur like bees.
What they do: Wasps typically make nests hanging from trees and are primarily beneficial as pest control for other insects since they feed plenty of insects to their young.
Sting facts: Wasps are known for being more aggressive than bees and are more likely to sting if you get too close. They can also sting multiple times like bumblebees.
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