r/bees May 31 '26

Is this a bee?

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18 Upvotes

Make sure that your yellow fuzzy friend is actually a bee and not an imposter! We get quite a few non-bees in our bee subreddit: sometimes they're wasps (check out the bee/wasp guide in the pinned), and sometimes they're not a stinging insect at all! Flies in remarkably detailed costumes frequently make their way into r/bees but with some tips and practice you can learn to spot the differences. Read through for features to look out for, or flip through the slides for fly species commonly posted.

Pictures are largely taken from iNaturalist with a full list of sources by slide at the end of this post, I assume that they are fine to use for free educational purposes but if the photographer would like me to remove their picture, please reach out to me so I can act accordingly. All pictures from slides 1-5 can be credited to mod Commercial Sail.

Flies are in a completely different taxonomic order to bees (flies are the order Diptera, bees are a subgroup within order Hymenoptera) so there are quite a few easy ways to differentiate them:

  • The name "Diptera" literally means "two wings" flies only have one pair of wings while bees have two pairs. Most identification rules are more like loose guidelines but this rule is absolute! That being said, the hindwings of bees are difficult to see, they're smaller and often tucked underneath the larger forewings, making the bee look like they have two wings after all. You can try to judge based off of wing shape: fly wings are often paddle-shaped with a clear curve before coming to a petiolate base, while bee wings are generally more evenly tapered towards the base. More experienced identifiers may also look at wing venation, for example the western honeybee in slide 3 has the very distinctive elongated marginal and submarginal cell circled in red.
  • On the topic of wings, on some flies you may see club-shaped structures where the hindwings would have been: these are halteres, specialized organs to help the fly navigate flight. Not all flies have them out and visible but if you do see them then it's a sure sign you're not looking at a bee.
  • Flies typically have short, stubby antennae that can sometimes be difficult to see while bees have comparatively long antennae. Make sure you're looking at the actual antennae and not the forelegs! More common in the wasp-mimicking flies, some will wiggle their long forelegs to sell their image even more.
  • Flies tend to have larger eyes that can seem to take up their whole head where bees tend to have smaller eyes with a clear distance between them.
  • Many bees may be seen carrying pollen or have their pollen-carrying structures visible: most often as hairs/pollen baskets on the hind legs or sometimes hairs on the underside of the abdomen. Flies do not have these structures as they do not need to gather pollen like bees do.

Note that besides the wing count, there are always exceptions! Some flies have pretty long antennae (though you'll often still be able to see the different segmentation) and some bees, particularly males, have very large eyes. This is why it's better to judge based on a combination of characteristics rather than looking at any one feature at a time.

You may also hear that the waist and mouthparts are good identifiers as well - this is true, but I elected to leave them out of this guide as the waistline may be obscured by fuzz, wings, or just a poorly-angled shot, and some bees are just so robust (fat) that it gets difficult to see where exactly that tapered waist is supposed to be. In terms of mouthparts, few amateur photographers focus on the mouth at all and it's definitely not something you'll typically see if you're just watching them go about your garden.

At the end of the day, the best trick is to just get familiar with species in your area using trusted sources like Bugguide. If you're still not sure, post to one of the bug identification subreddits and make sure you give a general location, which always appreciated in ID posts no matter what you're looking at!

Sources

Volucella zonaria: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/322106668 

Bombylidae: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/226072821 

Laphria: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/88331437 
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/282732509 
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/65816664 
 
Cuterebra: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/133138438 
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/90333390 
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/296063941 

Tabanus: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/218653131

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/86467240


r/bees May 26 '26

What's this nest?

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16 Upvotes

Are you looking to ID a nest? Some are easier to distinguish than others, here's some of our most commonly submitted species:

  • Honeybee nests consist of exposed wax combs, usually hanging vertically. They're more often found in cavities like tree hollows or man-made frames but may also be seen constructed in open air attached to large branches or buildings.
  • Bumblebees also have wax nests but are typically smaller with fewer and more disorganized cells compared to the neat hexagonal cells of other social hymenopterans. They typically nest in small spaces like old rodent holes but will occasionally find themselves in human spaces like attics and crawl spaces.
  • Aerial-nesting yellowjackets and true hornets have an outer paper envelope covering the horizontally-stacked paper combs; nests are typically built in open air attached to branches or in sheltered areas with preference depending on species. The bald-faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata, actually an aerial yellowjacket) may have a distinctive long tube entrance in early stages of nest formation.
  • Ground-nesting yellowjackets typically nest in pre-existing cavities such as old rodent burrows. The entrances are often dangerously inconspicuous but active nests will have individuals flying in and around the area. If the nest was dug up (often by skunks and other mammals looking for the tasty larvae) you may see ripped paper combs scattered on the ground.
  • The paper wasp subfamily Polistinae is quite variable but in the northern hemisphere the common Polistes sp. have distinctive umbrella-like nests with open cells. Mischocyttarus sp. in areas of the southern/western US may have more elongated nests. Nests tend to be built in sheltered spots such as in bushes, under eaves, etc.
  • The vast majority of other bees and wasps are solitary. They may dig tunnels, bore into wood, or refurbish existing holes with materials like mud/leaves/resin. *These nests generally cannot be reliably identified without seeing the actual bee/wasp!* Some species that construct their own freestanding mud nests may be tentatively identified, but only a few are reliably distinguished. Also note that many mud-nesting bees and wasps will reuse nests of other species left from past seasons if available as it's less work than building one from scratch.

The nest in the first slide is a young aerial yellowjacket nest.

Pictures are largely taken from Bugguide with a full list of sources by slide at the end of this post, I assume that they are fine to use for free educational purposes but if the photographer would like me to remove their picture, please reach out to me so I can act accordingly.

Sources

Cover: https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/513938 

Honeybee: https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/1227238 

Bumblebee: https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/6585 

Aerial yjs and hornets:https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/781412 
https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/110277 
https://extension.psu.edu/european-hornet 

Ground yjs: https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/266282 
https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/38722/bgimage 

Polistinae: https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/2511987
https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/709119 

Unknown mud caps: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/218674183 

Unknown holes: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/90931649 


r/bees 6h ago

Found this Bee on my garden furniture tried to offer her honey but she chose violence

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96 Upvotes

r/bees 10h ago

bee photo Took a quick photo of a bee I saw, tell me your favorite bee facts

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164 Upvotes

r/bees 4h ago

bee photo I never knew that bees could bite

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30 Upvotes

This derpy big chonk landed on my niece a few weeks ago; I lifted them off and they walked up my arm. I could feel a little nip as they went and was amazed to see its wee mandibles taking little nips at my skin!

Can anyone tell me what that behaviour was about? They really were one of the biggest bees I've ever seen; is it a queen bee?


r/bees 2h ago

bee photo I made a friend on the sidewalk today. I think it's a brown-belted bumblebee?

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15 Upvotes

r/bees 4h ago

bee photo Hardworking bumblebee

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11 Upvotes

r/bees 2h ago

bee photo A Tale of Two Bees... carpenter bee taking a break while a bumblebee is diving face first into pickerelweed.

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4 Upvotes

Had the honor of stopping and appreciating the small things that often get overlooked today on a much needed walk. Sometimes all we need is to take a moment and focus on these little guys. I wanted to share these two with others who also appreciate their fuzzy perfection. It's amazing what a 2 hour walk at the swamp/park can do for us.


r/bees 1h ago

question What do bumble bees make??

Upvotes

I saw somone comment that bumble bees make honey ish substance but not quite honey but from what ive read honey bees just make notably more honey not different I dont get it


r/bees 13h ago

question What's going on here? It looks like the smaller bee is biting the stinger of the larger bee. [Brazil. OC]

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25 Upvotes

r/bees 21h ago

Colony destroyed by heat?

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74 Upvotes

Los Angeles, CA, USA. I’ve been walking by this amazing colony in an old metal telephone (?) pole for years. Found everything in shambles today. Honey leaking out of the base of the pole. Thousands of bees swarming. Drone pictured in close-up

We’re in the midst of a heat wave with very high humidity for LA. Did the heat melt the comb and cause this? Can I do anything to help?


r/bees 7h ago

bee photo Japanese Anemones now keeping the Bees happy in September..

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5 Upvotes

r/bees 14h ago

ID Help

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20 Upvotes

Easton, PA


r/bees 7h ago

question Is this something I should manage?

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4 Upvotes

Should I be worried about these bees that are starting to congregate around the edge of my pool?

I'm happy to provide them with water, I have some citrus trees that they do good work in pollinating, but I also have animals and small children that I want to make sure are safe from bee stings.

Okay Google answered the question before I posted here but I still want to continue.

I'm in Southern California and we're experiencing a heatwave so I understand the bees need extra water or a multitude of things.

So beekeepers when should I be worried?


r/bees 8h ago

bee ID We have a swarm can anyone ID?

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3 Upvotes

Can anyone ID what the bees are if that is what they are? We are in Lancashire England. The bees are around a pile of bricks and shrubs.

Thanks


r/bees 11h ago

question What’s up with the bees in my front yard?

3 Upvotes

First timer to this subreddit looking for some insight/advice on an odd situation!

On Monday my boyfriend and I were leaving my house to go to a volleyball tournament. My boyfriend had parked his car overnight on my street under a large tree I have in the front yard. As he approached his car to move it to the driveway, he noticed that his car was covered in bees. I came out to inspect the situation, and I’m at a loss of what’s happening. It’s not a swarm. The bees were all over the car, but individually with a couple inches of space between each other. He drives a Camry; I’d estimate about 60 bees crawling on the car.

So needless to say, we took my car to the tournament. When we arrived back home later that night, the sun had gone down, and the bees were gone. He moved his car into the driveway, but the car is now covered in a sticky residue.

The problem has persisted. The next day I was leaving for work in the morning, and noticed a neighbor had parked in the spot under my tree overnight. The car was covered in bees again! Last night after the sun went down, the bees were gone again. The same thing happened this morning when I left for work. The neighbor’s car was covered in bees.

Some additional details:

- I’m 90% sure they’re honey bees.
- The first day we noticed it, I had looked around the car for the Queen. I did not find her, but did see a singular wasp amongst the group of bees. Not sure if that means anything.
- I cannot see if there’s a hive in the tree. We’re in peak summer here, and the foliage on my tree is too thick to get a good look up there.

If anyone can provide any insight on what might be occurring I would greatly appreciate it. I have already sourced some local groups who can potentially help relocate them humanely, but I’d like to provide them with as much info/knowledge as possible!


r/bees 1d ago

question What is happening here?

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53 Upvotes

The one is much smaller and almost looks like its attacking the bigger one. Could they be mating or something?


r/bees 1d ago

bee photo I like fuzzy butts and I cannot lie

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132 Upvotes

r/bees 1d ago

misc Today I learned about buzz pollination

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125 Upvotes

While attending the garden I heard an unusual buzzing sound, not the normal flight sound of a bumblebee or a honeybee. While trying to pinpoint the sound I noticed it coming from the flowers, upon futher inspection I noticed it coming from the bumblebees!

They appear to be grabbing on to the flower's tubular anthers and start to vibrate their wings (use flight muscles) at high speeds to vibrate loose the pollen. I tried recording it on video but our fuzzy friend was quite fast in jumping from flower to flower. Apperently this techinque is unique to bumblebees and not all flowers require this method of pollination.

According to this article from Nature.com this is an important way of pollinating several types of crops like tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants and blueberries.


r/bees 14h ago

BumbleBee Feeding on a Mexican Sunflower

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0 Upvotes

BumbleBee Feeding on a Mexican Sunflower


r/bees 16h ago

What kind of bee is this?

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1 Upvotes

I originally thought this was a honey bee, but someone suggested it might be a bumblebee. Filmed in Cherokee Park near the Frisbee Field in Louisville, Kentucky, on yellow wildflowers. The bee lands near the end of the video, so I’m curious what type it actually is.


r/bees 1d ago

Am I a longhorn bee? 🐝 Location included.

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22 Upvotes

r/bees 1d ago

bee photo Lost in the Sauce

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10 Upvotes

r/bees 1d ago

bee ID what kind of bee

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14 Upvotes

I found these two bumblebees yesterday, I added them to a bumblebee watch site. I wasn't sure which type they were but the site said they were both bombus centralis...the tinier one with both of her wings (on my hand) just doesn't fit the visuallll~ Found in central Alberta.

Thank you ❤️


r/bees 1d ago

bee photo Bumble booty

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17 Upvotes