Characteristics of common wasps and bees

While easily confused at a distance or without close observation, there are many different characteristics of bees and wasps which can be used to identify them. 
Bees
Wasps (Family: Vespidae)
Western honey bee
Bumblebee
Yellowjacket
Paper Wasp
Bald-faced hornet
Hornet (European hornet)
Colors
amber to brown translucent alternating with black stripes that is in general. Some are mostly black 
yellow with black stripes, sometimes with red tail, to dark 
black and opaque bright yellow stripes 
dusty yellow to dark brown or black 
black and ivory white markings 
black and dark body with yellow there are different geographic colour forms 
Coat
furry (short hair)
furry (long hair)
little or no hair
some hair
Size
1.3 cm (½ inch)
2.5 cm (1 inch)or more
1.3 cm (½ inch)
1.9–2.5 cm (¾ to 1 inch)
up to 1.9 cm (¾ inch)
up to 3.5 cm (1½ inch)
Legs
not generally visible while flyingWhen walking, light-colored pollen on the pollen baskets on a honeybee's rear legs can be visible.
two long legs are visible hanging down during flight. no pollen baskets
Behavior
gentleDomesticated bees have been selected over time for gentleness. There are several races of domesticated honey bees with varying characteristics of honey production, disease resistance and gentleness.Aggressive hive defense
gentleaggressive hive defense
aggressiveaggressive hive defense
gentleaggressive hive defense
aggressiveaggressive hive defense
gentleOther hornet species (those not European hornet) have a more toxic sting, and are more aggressive.aggressive hive defense
Food
nectar from flowers
other insects, overripe fruit, sugary drinks, human food / food waste, meatYellowjackets are carnivorous during the brood rearing part of the season. They feed insects to their brood, and obtain the sugar for their flight-muscle energy mostly from secretions of the brood. During this time they can be attracted to traps baited with meat or fish. Near the end of summer, when brood rearing ceases and this sugar source is no longer available, yellowjackets become frantic for sugar, and can be baited with sugar-based baits. They are also much more likely to visit fall flowers for nectar, than they are earlier in the season.
other insects
Sting
kills beeSince the barbed stinger evolved as a colony defense against vertebrates, the invariable outcome of stinging a mammal or bird is that the stinger becomes lodged in the victim's skin and tears free from the honey bee's body, leading to her death within minutes. As such, there is rarely any evolutionary advantage for a bee to sting a mammal to defend itself as an individual; honey bees will generally only sting when the hive is directly threatened, and honey bees found in the field or on a flower will rarely sting. Note: Africanized honey bees can be more aggressive than the more common European honey bees, but still only defend the hive, and their sting is the same., continues pumping (barbed)
retracts, can repeat (smooth)
Sting Pain
2.x
2.0
2.0
3.0
2.0
2.xmainly European hornet. Other species may be more aggressive and have a more toxic sting.
Lights
not attracted to lights at nightunless nest is disturbed
attracted to lights at night
Lives in
large colonies of flat wax-based honeycomb hanging vertically
small cavities in the soil
small umbrella-shaped papery combs hanging horizontally in protected spaces such as attics, eaves or soil cavities
large paper nest, upside down pear shaped, hanging from branches / eavesAlso barns, attics
very large paper nest in hollow trees, sheltered positionsHas a brown protective layer when the nest is in an unsheltered position. Also barns, attics, hollow walls, abandoned bee hives
=====Notes=====
==See also ==
* Schmidt Sting Pain Index
==External links==
* Ohio State University Yellowjacket factsheet
* Ohio State University Hornet factsheet
*What's Buzzin' in My Garden?
Category:Apiology