Unless you’re familiar with bees and wasps, the sting you just felt when that yellow and black insect landed on your arm is not a great identifier. Trying to get close to a bee hive or a wasp nest to properly identify the culprit it never recommended. Believe it or not, bees and wasps have different appearances, behaviors and lifestyles. If noting their behaviors from afar isn’t enough to determine which insect stung you then call the experts at Critter Control® of Fort Lauderdale for assistance.
Appearance
Bees
- Hairy and oval shaped
- Thin opaque wings
- Black with yellow, orange, or brown stripes, or completely black in appearance.
Wasp
- Bodies are smooth and they have long dangling legs
- Long and thin, two pairs of wings, and a pinched waist
- Vary in color from solid black to black and yellow
Behavior
Bees
- Pollinators who feed on the nectar
- Less aggressive and don’t usually seek other insects as prey
- Die after stinging
Wasps
- Predatory wasps use their long legs to catch, kill and devour their prey
- Parasitic wasps use the bodies of insects as a place to lay their eggs
- Can sting multiple times
The habitats of these flying insects also vary. A wasps gray paper like home is made of chewed wood and saliva while a bees’ honeycomb home is made from the wax they secrete.
One bee or wasps is nothing to cause concern, but when they swarm in numbers, they can become deadly and cause damage to your home. Call the experts at Critter Control® of Fort Lauderdale at 954-467-6067 today for your free inspection and consultation. Let us help your rid your home of wasps or bees before they cause too much harm.