Bees – INHS Environmental Education

When you say “bee” most people think of honey and honey bees, but the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) that many farmers rely on to pollinate their crops is far from the only bee out there. There are more than 4000 species of bee in North America!

Is it a bee or something else?

bee showing hairs on body long antennae and four wings — Bombus impatiens – Eastern Bumble Bee –
Bees: longish antennae, four wings, hairy body, separated thorax and abdomen

In addition to all of those bees, there are wasps and flies that are often mistaken for bees. While bees, wasps, flies, and many other insects will consume nectar from flowers, bees are primarily pollen eaters, while wasps are meat eaters.

While there are exceptions, the bees, wasps, and flies can typically be distinguished by the following traits:

Bees
4 wings
hairy body
longish antennae
distinct head & thorax

Wasps
4 wings
hairless
long thin legs
narrow waisted

Flies
2 wings
short antennae,
no clear separation of thorax & abdomen

Bees, Wasps, and Ants are all members of the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita.

Social Bees vs Solitary Bees

Another thing that comes to mind with bees is communal living in a hive, but most bee species are solitary.

Some members of the Family Apidae are social insects:

Honey bees and Bumble bees are the social bees in North America
- Communal nests – bumble bees in soil, honey bees in cavities
- Workers forage for nectar and pollen
- Highly developed corbicula (pollen basket) to transport pollen