Honeybees - Wasps - Bumblebees compared:
There are many varieties of these insects in the British Isles but the below chart shows 3 of the most common that people often come across. We often get phone calls from members of the Public who are unsure whether they have bees, wasps or bumblebees in their garden, so here are some facts to help clarify the situation.
Not to Scale
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These photographs are not to scale. The Bumblebee for example depending on the species, can be a lot larger than both Honeybee and Wasp.
Please see here for more photographs which are 1:1 scale.
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Bee Swarms - This normally takes place between April and August and is normally the first real contact that members of the Public have with Honeybees. This is a completely natural phenomenon and the bees are ensuring their chance of survival are increased by splitting up after allowing a new Queen to develop and then leaving 'home' to set up another colony.
Please see below, a list of registered Beekeepers willing to give advice.
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If you see a settled swarm, please don't panic, leave them alone. Honeybees are protected by law and it is an offence to kill them. (After all, without bees for pollination, we cannot survive)
Call the local Police or the Council who will have a list of Beekeepers willing and able to come out and deal with the situation. Bee keepers will usually only attend a ‘call out’ for swarms of honey bees where accessible. If the swarm has settled and gone in for example underneath the eaves of your house, don't despair, please telephone for advice. Again, to help distinguish between the different species please look at the photographs on this page or check out our
Absolute Beginners Guide.
When swarming, the flying bees will eventually settle temporarily, sometimes on a tree branch, etc, and hang there. 'Scout' bees' will be flying from the swarm, looking for a suitable and permanent new home for the colony to go to. This can sometimes take a few hours or even a day or more. |
A typical beehive is occupied in mid-summer by up to 50,000 or more bees, made up mostly of Workers (Females), a small number of Drones (Males) and of course the Queen.
The following chart shows the number of days required for the development of the worker, the drone and the queen. These periods will vary with temperature of the brood nest, but rarely by over 24 hours. The queen fertilizes the eggs that will develop into worker bees as she deposits them. Consequently, worker bees have characteristics of both the queen and the drones with which she mated. Unfertilized eggs, which she deposits in the larger cells, become drones. Drones bear only the characteristics of the queen herself. It can be said a drone honey bee has a grandfather but no father!
The queen may live as long as eight to 10 years. In colonies, unless replaced by the beekeeper, queens will normally be replaced (superseded) after their second or third year. As a queen ages, she gradually uses her supply of sperm and may lay an increasing number of drone eggs. If she fails to mate, all of her eggs will be unfertilized, hence males, and she is then known as a drone-layer.
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Bumble Bee mites:
Bumble bees can sometimes be covered in small mites (not varroa). They don't harm the bee but can become a nuisance.
Bumblebee Conservation Trust
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Bumble bees are familiar to most people as the big, cute, fuzzy bees they see on their garden flowers. While many people appreciate their good looks, few people are aware of these bees’ good deeds. Bumble bees are very effective pollinators of many fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, raspberries, cranberries, peppers, squash, and blueberries, as well as many native wildflowers. Good pollination not only increases production of fruits but also increases the size and quality of these fruits. They are very gentle and will not sting unless their nest is disturbed. They should NEVER be destroyed!
The nest, compared to the Honeybee, is a rather untidy affair.
Honey bee colonies have 10,000 to 30,000 bees per colony, whereas bumble bee colonies typically have just 50 to 500 bees per colony. They produce very little Honey, certainly not enough to share with us!
Live with the bees if you can, and be glad that they have chosen your garden. We need more bees, and they are very unlikely to sting.
We cannot survive for more than 3 -5 years without them!
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Call-out list for Swarms  |
Member |
Jeff Pritchard |
Nigel Robins |
John Beynon |
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Tel: |
07789
714149 |
07729
231232 |
07780
829579 |
Location |
Porthyrhyd |
Dunvant |
Bishopston |
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Member |
Glyn
Davies |
Jeff Davies |
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Tel: |
01792
862468 |
01554
784854 |
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Location |
Pontardawe |
Llanelli |
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To our members:
Please let us know if you wish to add your details to this list:
Thank you.
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 New Guest book - added 14th April.
Please feel free to leave messages, advice,
including
hints and tips for all to enjoy. |
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Copyright © West Glam Beekeeping
Association - 2011 |
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Unlike the Honeybee which builds its home from wax, the Wasp makes its nest from Wood Pulp which it makes by chewing wood. The Wasp is in fact very beneficial as it preys on insect pests, so can be considered a gardeners friend. Unfortunately, when Autumn comes along, with food scarce, the wasp turns its attention to us for food and it then becomes a pest!
