In Utah, there are approximately 17 historically native species. There are more than 200 species of bumble bees around the world all residing under the genus Bombus. They are very reluctant to sting, only doing so if they are trapped or defending their nest. Bumble bees are docile and will raise a middle leg when threatened. Here are descriptions of some of the fascinating insects that look like bees.Bumble bees tend to slowly fly from flower to flower, climbing up the flower stalk if there are multiple flowers on a single plant, and will often buzz against flowers to release the pollen. Unlike bees and wasps, these moths, beetles, and ants are harmless and won’t sting you. Other Insects That Look Like Bees (With Pictures)Īpart from striped flies and wasps, other species of insects are bee mimics. Also, the females have a bright yellow thorax, black antennae with an orange tip, and a protruding stinger at its rear end. You can identify the bee-like wasps by the ring of fine orangey hairs encircling its body. They have spread to many states since the 1970s, where they live in deciduous trees and some conifers. However, compared to a regular bee, its body is slender, not short, and stumpy.Īsian horntails are not native to the US. The Asian horntail has identifiable yellowish-orange and black stripes around its body. Yellowjacket or Yellow Jacket ( Vespula )Īsian horntail (Eriotremex formosanus) looks like a bee but has a slender bodyĪsian horntails are easily mistaken for bees because they have a slightly hairy abdomen and thorax, like most bees. Let’s look in detail at some of the common species of wasps that bear the closest resemblance to bees. Also, wasps can be more aggressive than bees. Unlike bees, wasps have a slender, smooth body with a visibly narrow waist, unlike a bee’s stout body. Many wasp species may look like bees and have similar behavior, but you can generally tell wasps apart from bees. Wasps that Look Like Bees (With Pictures) Additionally, most bee-flies don’t have the distinctive striped markings that bees are known for. Bee-flies use this to feed on nectar as they hover at flowers like a hummingbird. The way to distinguish between a bee-fly and a regular bee is by its long protruding tongue (proboscis). They are also known to infest solitary bee nests, destroying the bee larvae. The furry flying insects can have colors ranging from orange to yellow. The fly gets its name “bee-fly” because it mimics the habits of regular bees. The bee fly looks remarkably like bumblebees and bees. The large bee-fly (Bombylius major) mimics the habits of bees and has long protruding tongue Here are some descriptions of bee mimics that are species of flies. It is easy to mistake certain species of hoverflies, drone flies, and bee-flies for bees. Flies that Look Like Bees (With Pictures) The yellow-jacket moth, bee-fly, European hornet, bee beetle, and the four-spotted velvet ant are other common bee-like insects. The solitary insects are hairy and look and act just like you’d expect a typical bee to behave. Hoverflies are the bugs that most resemble honeybees. However, their slender, smooth bodies soon give them away as not being bees. Wasps are the most common flying insects that are mistaken for bees. For example, one type of bee-like fly has a long protruding tongue that looks like an extended stinger. Some insects resembling bees have fuzzy hairs, make buzzing sounds, and have a similar body form. In addition, some bee lookalikes have stingers, either real ones like wasps have, or imitation ones.īee mimics use their behavior and appearance to ward off predators. The bee-like insects usually have a dark body with yellow stripes-characteristics of honeybees and other bee species. What Are Bee Mimics?īee mimics are bugs, flies, wasps, and other insects that are easy to mistake for bees. You will also learn how to tell the difference between bees and wasps. Descriptions and pictures of bee mimics will help to spot harmless flies, beetles, and ants from stinging bees. This article is a guide to identifying various bug-like insects that look like bees. A honey bee (in the picture) is characterized by its furry body, 2 pairs of wings and long antenna
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