Every summer, we see in influx in stinging insects. This is the time of year they come out in full force. There are some stinging insects that you should steer clear of such as wasps or yellow jackets, but honeybees and various other types of bees are some that rarely ever sting people. They are truly uninterested in people. Their only concerns are plants and flowers! They do more good in the world than most give them credit for. A lot of folks view them as a danger or a nuisance but their existence here on Earth is vital to our survival, they literally carry the weight of the world on their tiny little backs. In fact, bees are credited with pollinating nearly 85% of all food crops across the world! Without them our food sources would be severely limited. Studies have shown that our very environment depends on the survival of the honeybee. Bee’s carry pollen on the tiny hairs on their legs and disperse if from flower to flower, or crop to crop. They also feed on the pollen they gather and depend on it to feed their hives and their young. They consume this pollen and it gives them the energy to fly for miles at a time to collect and disperse more and more pollen as they go. Bees are extremely important to all plants, crops, and flowers alike. There are dozens of various species of bees that are responsible for the pollination of specific plants.
What are the Most Important & Beneficial Bees?
Honeybees: These bees are not native to the United States. They were imported for the purposes of pollinating agricultural crops. They are golden brown with black stripes on their abdomen. If you’re seeing one of these bees, you’re likely seeing a female worker. If you pay close attention you may even see pollen trapped in the tiny hairs on her legs. These guys live in artificial hives maintained by beekeepers and rarely ever live in the wild.
Bumblebees: This type of bee are a bit bigger than honeybees and are covered in thick yellow and black hair. Some may mistake them for a carpenter bee, but bumblebees are much smaller than carpenters. They also have hair on their abdomens whereas carpenter bees do not. Bumblebees make a buzzing noise when they get into a flower which is how they got their name.
Blueberry Bees: These bees get to be the same size as a honeybee. They have thick yellow hair along their backs and black banding along their abdomens. Not surprisingly, blueberry bees live in ground hives near blueberry plants, but they are known to pollinate other plants as well.
Squash bees: The head and thorax of squash bees are hairy and range in color from orange to black. Their abdomens are striped in colors that can be black, white or tan. These guys are experts at pollinating squash and cucumbers! They tend to fly before dawn which is rare in the bee world. They will go around collecting pollen until mid-morning then return around dusk to finish the job.
Was it a Bee or Wasp Sting?
Consider having harmless hives relocated instead of destroyed. Chances are, if you’ve been stung before, it probably wasn’t by a bee. Most bees only sting when their hive has been threatened or if they feel their life is in danger. If you’re out in the pool or hanging out at a summer BBQ and you see a bee, they are probably just passing through to collect pollen or grab a drink of water.
Stinging Insect Inspections, Exclusion, Control, Removal, Management & More in Canyon Lake, Spring Branch, Bulverde, Timberwood Park, Leon Valley, Alamo Heights, New Braunfels, Selma, Live Oak, Converse, Universal City, Cibolo, Seguin, New Berlin, St Hedwig, Adkins, La Vernia, Elmendorf, Losoya, Von Ormy, Macdona & San Antonio, Texas
If you happen to see a bee hive on your property, instead of destroying it, call the experts at A Five Star Termite & Pest Control so we can come out and identify the type of hive present. If we determine bees are on your property, we can recommend a company to remove and relocate the hive. Is wasps are found, we can exterminate this risk. Somewhere they can thrive and continue to do good for our environment. Call us today!
