Honey, Bees and Wasps
As I sit eating my toast with butter and honey, I reflected on those hot summer days this year and how many bees and wasps (hornets) I encountered. When we think of honey bees we think of honey, when we think of wasps or hornets we think about being stung. Of course both will sting us and believe it or not, a small percentage of bees and even smaller percentage of wasps actually produce honey. Their reputation for stinging has developed some fascinating legends, some totally unrelated to their stinging abilities. Here are some of the misunderstandings about bees and wasps and what really happens.
1. Both bees and wasps are equally dangerous when it comes to messing with their nests. You are more likely to run into a wasp nest because they can be everywhere and the wasps attack quickly. Bee’s nests are harder to find but when broached they attack in swarms.
2. When it comes to honey, certain species of both wasps and bees can produce it. There is a wasp found in Mexico, called the Mexican honey wasp that does indeed produce honey. Interestingly enough only a small fraction of bees produce honey.
3. Wasps will chase you, using their compound eyes to track your movement, after inflicting a painful sting will leave behind a pheromone so other wasps can also come a calling.
4. It is indeed safer to remove a bee or wasp nest at night, when they are inactive, but once there are disturbed the potential to be attacked and stung is always there.
5. Is your backyard safer from the sting of bees and wasps if you remove all flowering plants? Well no, although bees and wasps are pollinators, travelling from flower to flower, they still will build their nests in the safest location available. Therefore flowers or no flowers, they still will build their nests and protect them as required.
So this spring, leave the removal of nests to professionals to reduce the risk of stings.
http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-honey-bees-and-wasps-1.5269088
