🐝 Identifying Bees 🐝
There are around 20,000 described bee species worldwide. Most of these bees are known as solitary bees with only 250 bumblebee species, 9 honey bee species and a number of social stingless bees worldwide. In Britain we have around 270 species of bee, just under 250 of which are solitary bees and as the name suggests tend not to live in colonies like bumblebees and honey bees. Below is a guide to help identify the type of bee you have.
Are they furry and have a yellow or white bottom? They're probably Bumble bees:
Bumblebees are often confused with honeybees. However they are rounder, larger and furrier and come with a variety of coloured stripes across the end of their tails. Bumblebees are important pollinators. Leave the nests alone if possible since they will die out at the end of summer and will cause no further problems. Bumblebees rarely sting or attack people or animals and should therefore not be disturbed.
Are they small and vary in colour from golden brown to almost black? They're probably Honey bees:
Honey bees, also known as “honeybees,” are a group of insect species in the genus Apis. These insects are eusocial, which means they form large, complex societies. They are best known for building hives to store honey, and it is common to farm them for this reason. While they are not the only bees that can produce honey, the only true “honeybees” are in the genus Apis.
Do they have a reddy/brown bottom and are almost black? They're probably Solitary bees:
As the name suggests, they live alone, although in truth they often nest close to one another. They do not produce honey, do not have a queen and do not live in hives. Because solitary bees do not have a store of honey to protect they are non-aggressive, meaning they are safe around pets and children. The males generally have no sting and the females will only sting if handled roughly or trod on. Perfect therefore to encourage into your garden or allotment or new build development.
Is it very smooth, bright yellow with black stripes? They're probably Wasps:
These are NOT a type of bee and a beekeeper cannot help!
Wasps do an excellent service in keeping down the number of flies and other bugs. Wasps are also pollinators of flowers and crops. Adult wasps don’t need much protein (the bugs they prey on are for the developing brood in the nest) but they do need sugar, which they get in the form of nectar from flowers.
Is it very big with a loud buzz, black and brown with a hint of orange? They're probably European hornets:
These are NOT a type of bee and a beekeeper cannot help!
European hornets can be more than double the size of the more familiar common wasp and are valuable pollinators usually found in wooden areas. Native British hornets are rare and generally harmless so long as you don't annoy them.
Are they dark brown or black with a velvety body? They're probably Asian hornets:
These are NOT a type of bee and a beekeeper cannot help!
The Asian hornet is an invasive non-native species from Asia. It arrived in France in 2004 where it spread rapidly. As a highly effective predator of insects, including honey bees and other beneficial species, it can cause significant losses to bee colonies, other native species and potentially ecosystems. Please click here to report its presence to the non-native species secretariat
🐝 Do you have a honey bee swarm? 🐝
Swarming is a honey bee colony's natural means of reproduction.
In the process of swarming, a single colony splits into two or more
distinct colonies. Most swarms often occur on warm Sunny days in
May to the end of July, between 11am – 4pm.
Swarm clusters, hanging from a tree branch, will move on and find a
suitable nesting location in a day or two.
Encountering a bee swarm for the first time can be alarming. Bees tend
to swarm near their hives or honeycombs, so if a swarm is visible then a
nest is nearby.
Swarms are usually not aggressive unless provoked, so it is important to
keep a good distance from swarms in order to avoid provoking them.