While the weather outside may be blustery and cold right now, spring is right around the corner. And with the coming of spring comes the return of pollinators to the lawns and gardens of Middle Georgia.
Two of the most common pollinators in our region are the western or European honeybee (Apis mellifera) and the common eastern bumblebee (Bombus impatiens). While both of these species play a valuable and irreplaceable role in pollinating trees, flowers, shrubs, and other plants, there are some notable differences between them.
In this article, we’re looking at bumblebees vs. honeybees, providing ways to tell them apart on sight, touching on some other differences, and helping you understand your next steps if you should find that bumblebees or honeybees have decided to turn your home into their home.
Bumblebee vs. Honeybee: Appearance
At first sight, it can be easy to mistake honeybees for bumblebees and vice versa. After all, both bees are hairy or fuzzy, have long oval-shaped eyes, and bear a bold yellow pattern alternating with dark-colored stripes.
But once you know what to look for, it’s easy to tell the difference between the two:
Bumblebees |
Honeybees |
| Have a short, squat body that’s bulbous in appearance and is noticeably larger than a honeybee’s. | Have a thinner body with very distinctive divisions between the head, thorax, and abdomen. |
| Have a dark black body with vibrant yellow stripes. | Have a dark yellow body with light or dark brown stripes. |
| Have dense, heavy “fur” on their bodies and abdomens. | Have light, sparse “hair” on their bodies and abdomens. |
Bumblebee vs. Honeybee: Behavior
Both honeybees and bumblebees share some common behavioral traits, but the ways that they interact with humans and other behaviors can help you tell between the species:
Bumblebees |
Honeybees |
| Fly slowly from place to place, making a low droning noise. | Fly fast in quick, sweeping motions. |
| Slightly more aggressive towards humans than honeybees, especially when the nest is disturbed. Seldom swarm. | They are usually not aggressive towards humans unless the hive is stressed or under direct “attack.” They swarm more readily than bumblebees. |
| Can sting more than once, thanks to a smooth stinger. | Can only sting once. Once a honeybee has stung, its barbed stinger stays in the wound, killing the bee when it flies away. |
| Tends to nest in small colonies of less than 1,000 bees in existing holes or hides near ground level. | Tends to nest in large colonies with thousands of bees. Will build hives in almost any enclosed space within 3-5 feet of the ground or higher, if needed. |
Of course, one of the most important differences between the honeybee and the bumblebee is the difference in the amount of honey each species produces. While bumblebees do produce honey, they don’t produce it in excess and only create enough honey to sustain the next generation of bees.
On the other hand, honeybees generate several times more honey than the hive needs to survive and store the excess in the upper part of their honeycombed nest. Bee farmers remove this honey and sell it for human consumption.
Bumblebees vs. Honeybees: When They Become Pests
In the past couple of decades, there has been much discussion of how some common pesticides used in the agricultural industry, along with deforestation and other habitat concerns, have impacted bee populations around the world. Integrated pest control solutions and new tools and techniques have been developed to help ensure that our most valuable pollinators can continue to thrive.
But when you have a wall full of honeybees or an invasion of bumblebees in the kitchen, you’re less concerned about the fate of the pollinators than about not waking up covered in stings. While it’s important to get the bees out of the house, the most responsible thing is to call your local pest control experts.
Rather than simply destroy the nest and kill thousands of potential pollinators, your pest control team can make efforts to relocate the hive and get them out of your house and back into the wild, where they can do their essential job of helping the plants around us continue to thrive!
Don’t Let Pollinators Bee-come a Problem! Let National Exterminating Protect Your Middle Georgia Home or Business. Call us at 478-922-1410.
Your Middle Georgia home or business needs a pest control partner you can trust. National Exterminating is ready to earn that trust with our exceptional customer service and cutting-edge pest control solutions. Call us today at 478-922-1410.
Related articles: