Gah! Hornets, yellowjackets, and wasps are not bees!

[Bill W.]

I know I am not the first to rant about this, but is it so hard to identify a bee?  I have known the difference between a bee and a wasp since I was five years old.

Yesterday I got a call from a woman with "bees" in her wall.  The conversation went something like this:

I: I'd like to ask you a few questions to make sure that these are honey bees.
She: They're definitely bees.
I: OK, but just humor me, since it is a long trip if they turn out just to look like bees.
She: OK, but I do know what a bee looks like.
I: You said they are in your wall.  Did they build a nest that you can see?
She: No, they are just going in and out of a rotted part of the wall.
I: OK, that's a good sign.  Would you say you can see hundreds, dozens, or less than that coming and going?
She: Dozens.
I: And these bees are small and yellow, not large and fuzzy?
She: Right.  They're bees.
I: OK also a good sign.  Now for the ringer.  You said your son was stung.  Did the sting leave a stinger that you had to remove?
She: Yes.  It was awful.  He was screaming and I had to pull it out.
I: OK, sounds like bees. I'll be there tomorrow.

Well, today was "tomorrow" and those "bees" were yellowjackets.  I've got to wonder what she pulled out of her son's finger.

I'm starting to wonder if I should just go ahead and remove the wasps while I'm there.  Most of the time, it would be a simple job and I could probably name my price.

[Kathyp]

i thought i'd be clever last year and have people email me pics of the "bees" they wanted removed.  sure enough, i got a great picture of a honey bee and showed up to a yellowjacket nest.  the honey bee had been on flowers in her front yard.  the yellowjackets were nested near the root of a tree.  took me an hour to drive to the place, 2 min. to find and identify the "bees", and another hour home.  did get gas money:-)

[randydrivesabus]

When I was selling at the farmers market last Saturday a woman approached me about removing bees from her attic. She lives in the town where the market is which is an hour drive for me one way. So I told her I would put it on the local bee club list serve and someone will probably contact her. Glad I didn't go because you guessed it, wasps. Too bad someone had to go out of his way to check it out.

[Bill W.]

i thought i'd be clever last year and have people email me pics of the "bees" they wanted removed.  sure enough, i got a great picture of a honey bee and showed up to a yellowjacket nest.  the honey bee had been on flowers in her front yard.

Ha!  That one takes the cake!

In the future, I guess you should have them e-mail you a picture of the gas money they have waiting for you instead.

[Steve M.]

On a slightly amusing note, the other day the office manager where I work was stung on her toe by a yellow jacket out side the office door, and came running back in hopping and screaming.  A few minutes later...knowing that I keep bees, said "I hate all bees."  I did point out that she wasn't stung by a bee....needless to say that fell on deaf ears!

I later offered her the use of my suit and veil, which i had in my car, if she wanted extra protection when she left....she was not amused.

--Steve