
What Are the Differences in Appearance?
At first glance, wasps and bees may look very similar. However, if you study them more carefully while keeping a safe distance, you may notice some important differences:- Body Shape: Bees tend to be rounder and more full-bodied. Wasps are usually slimmer, with a discernible "waist" between the thorax and abdomen that gives them more of an hourglass shape.
- Colour: Both bees and wasps often have black stripes alternating with bands of a lighter colour. With wasps, the lighter colour is more likely to be a bright yellow. A honeybee's stripes are usually closer to orange or brown.
- Hair: Bees have at least some fuzzy-looking hairs on their bodies. This helps them to collect pollen as they visit flowers. Bumblebees are fuzzy all over their bodies. A honeybee is mostly bare on its abdomen but has hair around its thorax and head. Wasps have little if any, hair. Their bodies appear smooth and shiny.