All these insects are yellowish/blackish (mostly stripy) creatures with six legs and wings, and the potential to sting and they inhabit the UK. Yet just because they all share some immediate resemblance does not mean they are the same! There are as many differences as similarities between these insects, but at first glance, you can understand some confusion. Let’s look at what features hornets, wasps, and bees share and how they differ.
Looks can be deceptive
Bees: There are over 270 bee species in the UK from docile fluffy bumblebees, masonry, and solitary bees to the industrious honeybees (Apis mellifera). Most bees appear much fluffier, and hairier than wasps and hornets, as they collect and carry pollen on their legs and bodies. Honeybees have almost three million hairs on their tiny bodies, each strategically placed to carry and deposit as much pollen as possible.
Wasps: With approximately 9,000 wasp species in the UK, the German or European wasp (Vespula germanica) and the Common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) as its name implies, are the most likely you will encounter. Wasps are commonly identified by their very narrow waists and bright, patterned black-and-yellow bands on their bodies. They also appear smoother and less hairy than bees, and you cannot see their legs while they’re in flight – an important identifying factor.
Hornets: There is only one native hornet in the UK! The European hornet (Vespa crabro). About twice the size of a wasp, with chestnut brown and yellow/orange markings and brown-tinged wings, the European hornet is not a common sight in the UK. Like their smaller cousins’ wasps, hornets have much less hair than bees. They also have a larger vertex (head area behind the eyes) than wasps.
Asian hornets are an invasive predatory species spotted in southern England and the Channel Islands since 2016. They are smaller than our native European hornet and have a dark abdomen and a fourth yellow segment.
Feeding habits
Bees: Known for their role as pollinators, bees are herbivorous, feeding on nectar and pollen and taking much of it back to their nests to feed their larvae.
Wasps: Best known for feasting on overripe, decaying fruit and sugary treats from our summer picnics. Did you know wasps are carnivorous insects that consume flies, aphids, caterpillars, and other invertebrates? This makes them an important predator for controlling other insects.
Hornets: They have a diverse diet, hunting large insects like dragonflies, beetles, and moths as well as crickets, grasshoppers, and caterpillars. They even have an appetite for tree sap, nectar, and fruit. Asian hornets are also predators of other insects, in particular honeybees, decimating colonies, and populations.
To sting or not to sting?
A similarity that wasps, hornets, and bees all share is their inherent ability to sting. Their stings also contain venom which can cause an allergic reaction, and in a few cases, a severe allergic reaction called Anaphylaxis. Yet each of these insects has a different propensity to sting.
Bees: Bumblebees, honeybees, and most UK bees are passive species generally avoiding people, sticking to flowers, and minding their own business. Their stings can be painful, but they usually sting only to defend themselves, their colony, swarm, hive, or if accidentally provoked by firm contact, such as stepping on or swatting them. Most bees sting only once and die afterward as they cannot retract their stinger.
Wasps: They are more inclined to aggression which can provoke them to sting if they feel threatened i.e. their nest is disturbed, or their young are under threat. Unlike bees, wasps can sting repeatedly because they don’t lose their stinger. The stinger is smooth and does not stick in a person’s flesh. It retracts into the wasp’s body, ready to extend and sting again. When a threat is detected, wasps release a pheromone that summons the rest of the soldier wasps, attacking in large numbers they will pursue a potential threat over long distances stinging repeatedly.
Hornets: The main difference between wasps and hornets is their size. Hornets are relatively larger than wasps, and their stings are more painful, but hornets are shy and generally less aggressive if unprovoked. They may still sting you repeatedly to defend their nest against any threat. Asian hornets are no more dangerous than our own European Hornet (Vespa crabro) but their stings are more painful as their stingers are larger than the average hornet. However, the concern with Asian hornets is that it only takes a small number to wipe out an entire honeybee colony.
Now you have some tips to help you tell the difference next time you see those black and yellow stripy stingers flying through the air!
What do you do if you have issues with hornets or wasps?
- Don’t panic – it might be against your instincts but try and remain calm. If you panic and start waving your arms around, this may irritate them and encourage them to sting.
- If you see a nest, the golden rule is not to go near or disturb it. Wasps and hornets are extremely protective of their homes and will become aggressive.
- Don’t walk barefoot on lawns because you never know where a bee, wasp or hornet could be foraging. Some bees and wasps nest in the ground and, if stood on, they will almost certainly sting.
If you are concerned that the proximity of a nest to your premises will cause serious issues, contact a professional pest controller who will confirm the species and offer suitable treatment options.