Bees belong to the order of insects called Hymenoptera, which also includes ants, wasps and hornets. There are more than 20,000 known species of bees, but only 5 percent are social bees. Often, social bees occur in large colonies and can be a possible stinging threat. The most common social bees are honey bees and bumble bees. Honey bees are pollinators of many plants and are important in agricultural crop production. Honey bees are raised commercially for honey production and for use in pollination of agricultural crops. They are more likely to sting people than other bees because they are common and live close to homes. Bees and wasps are related, but bees have a lot of tiny feather-like hairs on their bodies that make them look hairy or fuzzy. These hairs are concentrated on the bee’s abdomen and legs, and help them collect pollen. Bees provide their nests with nectar and pollen that is used as food for the young and adults.
Bees play a vital role in pollinating many of the fruits, vegetables and plants we enjoy. But while the term “bee” may conjure up an image of those familiar yellow and black striped honey bees, there are actually over 20,000 species of bees worldwide. Two of the most common types of bees you may encounter are honey bees and carpenter bees. At first glance they may seem similar, but there are some key differences between these two important pollinators.
Appearance
The most noticeable difference between honey bees and carpenter bees is their appearance
Honey bees have characteristic yellow and black bands on their abdomens, along with fuzzy hair covering their thorax They have relatively small bodies and thin wings compared to other bees Their coloring provides an almost instant identification.
Carpenter bees, on the other hand, have shiny black abdomens and a hairless thorax. They resemble bumblebees in size and shape, with robust, broad bodies. Their dark coloration causes them to sometimes be mistaken for wasps.
Nesting Habits
Honey bees and carpenter bees build very different types of nests.
Honey bees live in large colonies of up to 60,000 individuals. Each colony contains one queen bee, along with female worker bees and male drones. The bees work together to build intricate hives made from beeswax containing hexagonal cells. These hives house the young bees and serve as a food storage area.
Carpenter bees, in contrast, are mainly solitary. The female carpenter bee will build her nest by tunneling into wood, such as exposed eaves, fence posts, or dead trees. She excavates a long tunnel, then builds individual nesting chambers off of this main tunnel. Each chamber is provisioned with pollen and nectar for one egg.
While carpenter bees can cause some structural damage with their nests, they usually won’t destroy a building. Honey bees, with their social structure and wax comb building, create more complex and larger-scale nests.
Diet
Both of these bee species feed on nectar and pollen from flowers. However, what they do with these food sources differs.
Honey bees consume some of the nectar and pollen they collect. But a large portion is taken back to the hive, where it is processed into honey. The honey is then stored in wax honeycomb cells. This honey serves as a long-term food source for the colony.
Carpenter bees do not make honey. They collect nectar and pollen strictly for their own nourishment. The female provisions individual nesting chambers with enough food for each offspring. There is no long-term stockpiling or food processing.
Pollination
When it comes to plant pollination, both honey bees and carpenter bees are extremely important. Their bodies become covered with pollen as they move from flower to flower. This allows pollination to occur, enabling many plant species to reproduce.
Some studies have shown that carpenter bees may be more efficient than honey bees at pollinating certain crops, like passionflowers and squash. Their larger size allows them to vibrate flowers at a lower frequency, releasing more pollen.
However, honey bees have greater numbers on their side. With colony sizes in the tens of thousands, they can pollinate on a wider scale. Overall, both of these bee species play indispensable roles in pollination and food crop production.
Stinging Behavior
A common fear people have about bees is being stung. Honey bees and carpenter bees do both possess stingers. However, there are some notable differences in stinging behavior.
Honey bee workers will sting to defend their hive if they perceive a threat. Their stinger is barbed, which means it becomes lodged in the victim’s skin when stinging. This causes the honey bee to die shortly after stinging.
Carpenter bees have a smooth stinger that allows them to sting repeatedly without injury to themselves. However, carpenter bees are much less aggressive than honey bees. The female carpenter bee will sting only if she is provoked directly. Males don’t have a stinger at all.
So while the possibility of getting stung exists with both bees, carpenter bees rarely sting unless handled or cornered. Honey bees will sting more readily to protect the hive.
Summary
When you take a closer look, subtle but important differences emerge between these two familiar pollinators. In appearance, nesting behavior, food production, and stinging tendencies, honey bees and carpenter bees have unique traits that allow them to thrive in their respective roles as social and solitary bees. Both fill an essential ecological niche through their participation in plant pollination and reproduction. Understanding how to identify these two bee types provides insight into the diverse world of bees.
Where are Africanized Honey Bees?
Africanized honey bees were first found in southern Texas in 1990. By 1993, naturally occurring swarms were recovered in Arizona and New Mexico, and the following year, California confirmed arrival of this invasive species. Just prior to swarming activity in 2016, 46 counties in Oklahoma have recovered AHB, representing every quadrant of the state (see; http://entoplp.okstate.edu/ahb/ahb ). More information on AHB can be found at the USDA-ARS website on national invasive species information center (seewww.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/profile/africanized-honeybee).
Africanized Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
The Africanized honey bee (AHB), the so-called “killer bee,” is another strain of honey bee. It is difficult to distinguish between the AHB strain and its more common counterpart, the European honey bee. In fact, the AHB is usually slightly smaller than the European honey bee. If an Africanized honey bee gets stung, its poison is not stronger than that of a European honey bee. If you disturb an Africanized honey bee hive, they will be more aggressive. This is the main difference between the two strains. Therefore, more bees will attack anyone that disturbs them. They will also chase a person or an animal for a greater distance. It can be called a “honey bee with a bad attitude. ”.
Bumblebees VS Carpenter Bees | What’s the Difference?
FAQ
How to tell the difference between a carpenter bee and a honey bee?
Can carpenter bees sting or bite you?
Do honey bees live in wood?
Do honey bees drill holes in wood?
What is the difference between a honey bee and a carpenter bee?
Honey bees are social insects that live in hives containing up to 60,000 bees. Carpenter bees are fatter, fuzzier insects that look like bumble bees. They’re almost twice the length of a honey bee, living on their own or in small families. While honey bees use beeswax to make their homes, carpenters chew into wood to make their nests.
Do carpenter bees produce honey?
Carpenter bees don’t produce honey but are excellent native bee pollinators. Yellow and brown bands with subtle differences depending on the breed. Shiny black abdomen free from hair. Thorax may be yellow, brown, white, black, or blue. Often docile but will defend their hive and can be aggressive.
What is the difference between a bumble bee and a carpenter bee?
This size is smaller than carpenter bees, which are generally ¾ to 1 inch long. Carpenter bees have a shiny black abdomen free from hair. Their thorax varies by species and may be yellow, brown, white, black, or blue. Mason bees are a similar size to bumble bees. Some honey bee races are more docile than others.
What do carpenter bees look like?
Carpenter bees have a shiny black abdomen free from hair. Their thorax varies by species and may be yellow, brown, white, black, or blue. Mason bees are a similar size to bumble bees. Some honey bee races are more docile than others. Caucasians and Buckfasts are mostly non-aggressive, although there are exceptions.
What are the two main types of carpenter bees?
In North America, there are two main species of carpenter bees: Xylocopa, or the large carpenter bee, and Ceratina. Xylocopa, also known as the large carpenter bee, measures in at 12-25mm in length and has a reflective, almost metallic-looking exoskeleton with yellow hairs. The other species is Ceratina.
Do you need a carpenter or a honey bee?
While honey bees are much more common, carpenters are essential in pollinating plants. They aren’t as fussy about what blooms they visit, and their ability to buzz pollinate is highly effective. If honey and beeswax are your main interests, honey bees are required.