Bees are insects, so are wasps and hornets. Hornets are a subset or subspecies of wasps. Although they may look similar from a distance and might instill fear or discomfort in you, there is substantial difference between bees, wasps and hornets. Difference between Bees, Wasps and Hornets
1. Bees Are Pollinators Whereas Wasps And Hornets Are Predators.
Bees have hairy bodies which are sturdier than wasps and hornets. They have flattened hind legs. Wasps and hornets are much slimmer. They have a slender form with a narrow waist. They have a shinier and smoother skin compared to bees and they have cylindrical legs.
2. Bees Don’t Hunt For Other Insects Or People For That Matter.
They tend to go about their task of pollinating or distributing pollens. They would feed on the nectar and would never feed on other insects. Wasps and hornets would feed on other insects, especially flies. They also feed on arthropods and caterpillars. They are biologically evolved hunters in the small insect world.
3. It Must Be Noted That All Hornets Are Wasps But All Wasps Are Not Hornets.
Hornets did not exist in the United States. They used to be referred to as European hornet not too long ago. Today, hornets are widely found along the east coast of the United States.
4. Bees Don’t Tend To Invade Homes Unless a Hive Nearby Has Been Destroyed.
Wasps and hornets would look for food. When they would have to feed their young, they would hunt for smaller insects. When the queens would not lay any more eggs or they wouldn’t have a growing family to feed, the wasps and hornets would become quite hostile in search for carbohydrates or sugar. This leads them into the houses and they can target the foods humans consume. In the process, they may end up attacking people or stinging to be literally accurate.
5. Bees Do Not Sting Repeatedly.
When they sting people, they lose their stinger, which gets embedded in the human body at the dermal or skin level. When bees sting other bees or petals, they don’t lose their stinger. When they lose their stinger, they die, which is why it is said that a bee can sting a human only once. Wasps and hornets don’t have this problem. They can keep stinging humans time and again. However, the brute force or the damage they can cause with each sting will obviously vary.
