Bees & Wasps

Bees are social insects and are divided into three castes. Most people see the "workers", but seldom the much larger "queen" bees. Males are known as "drones" and all bees have a characteristic tongue like devide that helps them reach the nectar in flowers.

Bees differ from wasps in providing pollen and honey for their young, while wasps collect insect larvae, meat scraps and even fish to feed their offspring. This diet means wasps are responsible for a lot of biological control of insect pests like caterpillars.

Bees and Wasps are most active in the warmer summer months, the time when humans can suffer from stings. Bee stings are annoying and painful for most, while a small percentage are severely allergic to bee stings to the point of being life threatening. Wasps are generally more aggressive when disturbed with a multiple stinging behaviour that is of greater concern. Unlike bees, the wasp sting can be withdrawn from the victim.

Simple Prevention

Take care with open soft drink cans, especially during summer. Wasps love sweet liquid and this may lead to stinging of the mouth or throat with potentially serious consequences including respirator obstruction.

Never approach a bee or wasp nest, as they are more likely to be aggressive when defending the nest.

Wasps often construct mud cells on shaded walls during summer. Allow them to complete this larval housing, wait until the wasp has left after a few days and then scrape the structure off the wall and discard.

In summer, you can prevent bees drinking from pet water bowls by placing a shallow water tray covered with floating corks higher than the pet bowl and within the bees' flight path. The corks provide a safe landing place and therefor a preferred drinking point, avoiding the possibility of your dog or cat being stung by a bee in their bowl.