Wasps, Bees and Hornets: What Is the Difference? 

How Does Bees, Wasps and Hornets Differ in Appearance?

A bee’s body has three parts: a head with two antennae, a thorax with six legs, and an abdomen. Their bodies are fuzzy, with yellow and black stripes, and they have two pairs of wings. Stingers are attached only on female bees.

Bees comes in a variety of colours, black and yellow, green, red, blue, depending on the species. Some have stripes and others possess a metallic sheen.

Wasps and hornets are similar in appearance. The main difference is their size and colour. Wasps measure about one-third inch to one-inch long. Hornets are bigger. Wasps have black and yellow rings, while hornets have black and white rings on their bodies.

Bees and wasps and hornet also differ in their role in our environment. Whereas bees help pollinate plants, wasps and hornets help control the population insects, which might become destructive if their numbers are left unchecked.

All three insects sting, which makes them dangerous, especially those who might develop an allergic reaction to their venom. However, bees, unlike wasps and hornets, die after they sting.

Basic Difference Between Wasps and Hornets

Bees and wasps went their separate ways along the evolutionary path more than 100,000,000 years ago. Bees are vegetarians, while wasps and hornets are omnivorous, targeting other insects as a food source.

Wasps and hornets are in the same class, which makes them appear similar to untrained eyes.

Here is how to tell the difference between wasps and hornets:

Body Type:

The bodies of wasps and hornets are separated in three parts: head, thorax and abdomen. Wasps have thin waists, while hornets have thicker and rounder abdomen and midsection.

Size:

Most species of wasp measure between one-fourth inch and one inch in length. Hornets are bigger, with one species, the Asian giant hornet, capable of growing 2 inched in length.

Sting:

Hornet stings are more painful than wasp stings. This is because hornets carry a neurotoxin, which can have a deadly consequences.