Interactions with bees are common, often prompting questions about their presence and how to safely share spaces. Understanding bee behavior helps ensure peaceful coexistence. This article clarifies these interactions, offering insights into bee habits and practical safety advice.
Identifying Your Flying Visitor
Distinguishing between bees and other flying insects, especially wasps, is important. Bees typically have rounder, more robust bodies covered in fuzzy hairs, which help them collect pollen. Their coloration ranges from bright yellows to deep browns or blacks, often with distinct markings. Wasps, including yellowjackets and hornets, generally possess smoother, more slender bodies with a narrow “waist.” Yellowjackets often have prominent yellow and black stripes, while hornets can be larger with varying brown and yellow patterns.
Behavioral differences also help with identification. Bees primarily focus on foraging for nectar and pollen and are generally less aggressive, stinging only when threatened or their nest is disturbed. Wasps, by contrast, can be more aggressive, especially when defending their nests, and may scavenge for food. If you observe an insect peacefully visiting flowers, it is likely a bee.
Common Attractants for Bees
Bees are often drawn to areas with resources. Sweet foods and drinks, like soda, fruit, or sugary spills, attract them as they seek sugar for energy. Leaving uncovered sugary items outdoors may lead to bees investigating.
Floral scents from perfumes, lotions, shampoos, or scented soaps can also attract bees. Bees are highly sensitive to these smells, which mimic natural flower fragrances. While not all scents will attract them, those with floral, sweet, or fruity notes are more likely to gain their attention.
Bright colors on clothing and accessories can also draw bees. Bees see colors differently than humans, with strong sensitivity to ultraviolet light, blue, and green. Colors such as purple, violet, blue, yellow, and orange are particularly attractive as they associate these with flowers.
Flowering plants in the vicinity are a primary attractant. Bees are drawn to the nectar and pollen these plants provide, essential for their colony’s survival. Additionally, bees require water, especially in dry conditions, so accessible water sources can also draw them near.
Understanding Bee Actions
Bees display specific behaviors when near humans. Foraging is a common activity where worker bees collect nectar and pollen from flowers to bring back to their hive. These bees are usually focused on their task and are not interested in humans unless provoked.
Scouting bees explore the area for new food sources or potential nesting sites. They might fly in distinct patterns or investigate cracks and crevices. If a scout bee finds a suitable location or food source, it will return to the hive to communicate its findings.
Bees generally exhibit defensive behavior only when they perceive a threat. They are more likely to sting if squashed, their nest disturbed, or their hive in danger. Honey bees have barbed stingers and typically die after stinging, so they sting as a last resort.
Swarming is a natural process where a bee colony divides, and a portion of the bees, along with the old queen, leaves to establish a new home. Swarming bees form a temporary cluster, often on a branch or other surface, while scout bees search for a permanent new nest. During this phase, swarming bees are usually docile because they are not defending a hive or food stores.
Safe Interactions with Bees
When bees are present, maintaining calm is important. Sudden movements or swatting at bees can agitate them and increase the likelihood of a sting. Instead, slowly and calmly move away from the area. If a bee lands on you, gently brush it off or wait for it to fly away.
To minimize attraction, cover sweet foods and drinks when outdoors. Avoid using strong floral scents, such as perfumes or highly scented lotions, and consider wearing neutral-colored clothing in areas with many bees.
If a bee sting occurs, promptly remove the stinger by scraping it off with a fingernail or a credit card, rather than pulling it with tweezers, which can release more venom. Clean the sting area with soap and water and apply an ice pack to reduce swelling and pain. Over-the-counter pain relievers or antihistamines can help manage discomfort and itching. Seek immediate medical attention if swelling spreads, or if symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, such as difficulty breathing, hives, or dizziness, develop.
Contacting a professional for bee removal is advisable if a bee nest is in a high-traffic area, poses a risk to individuals with allergies, or is causing structural damage. Attempting to remove a large or established nest without proper training and equipment can be dangerous and may lead to multiple stings. Professionals can safely relocate bees, especially beneficial species like honey bees.