Types of Bees in Southern California
There are one thousand species of California native bees, 26 of these are bumblebees and most of the rest are solitary bees. The main types of bees we encounter in Southern California are the bumblebee, the European honeybee, the Africanized honeybee and the carpenter bee. While it’s easy to differentiate the bumblebee by its fuzzy striped appearance, it is difficult to differentiate the European honeybee from the Africanized honeybee. The difference between them can be verified with a microscope.
EUROPEAN HONEY BEES
Another introduced bee species to the United States are the European honey bees. As their name implies, European honey bees are native to Europe. They arrived in the New World during the 17th and 18th centuries. These bees are more docile in nature than their Africanized counterparts. Also, most beekeepers in Southern California use European honey bees for honey production; European honey bees are known for storing nectar during the winter. European honey bees are larger than Africanized honey bees. These bees usually attack hive invaders alone, rather than call on the entire colony for defense. European Honey Bees which are often called Western Honey Bees are the most common type of bee we find here in Southern California. Although they are more docile than Africanized Honey Bees, don’t bee fooled. When they feel threatened they too will attack and sting you pretty good. If you notice a bee hive in a tree, wall, or fence area be sure to give us a call.
BUMBLEBEES
One of the largest bee species in Southern California is the bumblebee. Two different species of bumblebees live in Southern California, the bumblebee (Bombus genus) and cuckoo bumblebee (Psithyrus). Both types of bumblebee grow to 1 to 2 inches long. Bumblebees differ from honey bees since they do not have barbed stingers; this means their stingers do not detach when they sting, so they are able to sting multiple times. Bombus bumblebees are social bees with a caste system of workers, drones and queens. Cuckoo bumblebees are parasitic and lay their eggs in the hives of other bumblebees.One of the largest bee species in Southern California is the bumblebee.
Two different species of bumblebees live in Southern California, the bumblebee (Bombus genus) and cuckoo bumblebee (Psithyrus). Both types of bumblebee grow to 1 to 2 inches long. Bumblebees differ from honey bees since they do not have barbed stingers; this means their stingers do not detach when they sting, so they are able to sting multiple times. Bombus bumblebees are social bees with a caste system of workers, drones and queens. Cuckoo bumblebees are parasitic and lay their eggs in the hives of other bumblebees.
YELLOW JACKETS
Have you ever seen these buggers at your picnics? You don’t invite them, but they know where the party is at. They are scavengers that eat sugars and proteins. These guys will forage to just about everything you’ve got from the hotdogs to the sweet beverages. Yellowjackets are definitely not a critter you want to mess with. If you come across their nest, leave it alone! They are incredibly defensive, and unlike honeybees they can sting more than once. Yellowjackets can be distinguished from honeybees because they are smaller and have no hairs on their bodies. They are very sleek and brightly yellow and black striped. Yellowjackets build paper mache type nests shaped like honeycombs but it is actually made of paper or other fibers. Nests are made of foraged material and will look much like paper-mache
. The nest will resemble honeycomb, but is smaller. Originally, the ‘paper’ would have been made of tree barks, but they have also begun to use our trash, especially newsprint. You can actually see some color variations in the layers of the nest. Typically they will nest in the ground or in attic spaces. They have a nasty habit of chewing through drywall and showing up inside your house at the worst times. Before Africanized Honey Bees made their appearance here in Los Angeles, the emergency calls were usually for yellowjackets. To avoid having these pests at your house it is best to eliminate all waste appropriately. Make sure outside trash receptacles are cleaned regularly and sugars and proteins do not stick around. There are ways to get rid of wasps yourself. However, we do not recommend these methods.
WASP
Have you ever seen these buggers at your picnics? You don’t invite them, but they know where the Whether you are an outdoor enthusiast, party-thrower, tree-climber, or party-goer, the phrase “wasp nest” probably makes you jump a little. The Wasp is an infamous insect, with a painful sting and a sometimes elusive nest. As if one type of wasp isn’t bad enough, there are actually around 75,000 species of them. Yellow jackets and Hornets are both common species of wasps in North America. Wasps include two broad categories – solitary and social wasps. If disturbed, a colony of social wasps can be a very dangerous group. These wasps will emit a pheromone that sends its colony members (as many as 100 at a time) into a defensive stinging spree. Although only female wasps can sting, they have the capability of removing their stinger from a victim and stinging repeatedly. A combination of this and the fact that they tend to attack in larger numbers gives the wasp its well-earned fear factor.
Wasp Nest Under Roof Overhang party is at. They are scavengers that eat sugar and proteins. These guys will forage to just about everything you’ve got from the hotdogs to the sweet beverages. Yellowjackets are not a critter you want to mess with. If you come across their nest, leave it alone! They are incredibly defensive, and unlike honeybees they can sting more than once. Yellowjackets can be distinguished from honeybees because they are smaller and have no hairs on their bodies. They are very sleek and brightly yellow and black striped. Yellowjackets build papier Mache type nests shaped like honeycombs, but it is actually made of paper or other fibers. Nests are made of foraged material and will look much like a papier-Mache. The nest will resemble a honeycomb but is smaller. Originally, the ‘paper’ would have been made of tree barks, but they have also begun to use our trash, especially newsprint.
You can actually see some color variations in the layers of the nest. Typically, they will nest in the ground or in attic spaces. They have a nasty habit of chewing through drywall and showing up inside your house at the worst times. Before Africanized Honeybees made their appearance here in Orange County, emergency calls were usually for yellowjackets. To avoid having these pests at your house it is best to eliminate all waste appropriately. Make sure outside trash receptacles are cleaned regularly and sugars and proteins do not stick around. There are ways to get rid of wasps yourself. However, we do not recommend these methods.
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WASP IDENTIFICATION
Although there are many different species of the Wasp, most of them have the same general characteristics. All wasps have two pairs of wings, few or no thickened hairs (unlike bees), and are land-lovers (very few are aquatic insects). Females have an ovipositor, or stinger, which has a dual purpose: for stinging and for laying eggs. Most wasps are black and yellow, but some may be black and white. They are between 0.5 and 0.75 inches in length. Another distinguishing characteristic is the wasp’s style of flying. The wasp flies in a rapid, side to side motion as it lands whereas a bee “buzzes” in a random motion. Wasps can be distinguished from bees by their long, low, pointed abdomens and a narrow “waist” that separates the abdomen from the thorax. All wasps (solitary and social) build nests. Bees secrete a waxy substance out of which they make their nests, but wasps use a papery pulp made by chewing up wood with their mandibles. The nest of the wasp serves primarily as a place for rearing their young and a protective structure. Wasp’s nests are commonly found attached to twigs, rocks, and tree limbs. It is common for wasps to build a nest in human structures such as eaves of buildings, beams, attics, garages, barns and sheds. If a nest is found on a dwelling or near people, Wasp Control should be administered.
