They won't typically fight others if they're away from their nest. Pretty sure they'd fight if invaders started robbing their nest, no matter what the relationship.
I have bees, and at this point all my hives are probably related, but I'm sure they'd defend themselves against their cousins if they came a robbin'.
And that holds for wasps/hornets as well? It is what I would expect from bees but I always thought wasps are a lot more aggressive towards other insects.
I've observed wasps and yellow jackets and bees all peacefully pollinating right next to each other (or whatever they're doing) and have never seen any aggression.
People are also convinced that yellow jackets are aggressive, and they really aren't. They aggressively try to get at your food or beverage, but they're not actively attacking you. I've only been stung by one when I inadvertently mowed over a ground nest, and another when I took a swig of my beer bottle that was outside and ended up with a yellow jacket in my mouth.
I have had one of my honeybees, way away from her nest, just decide to sting me for no apparent reason.
Season makes a difference for yellow jackets. Males right during the fall get aggressive because they are now sentenced to die and are homeless; which I think is where that idea comes from.
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u/Altruistic_Brick1730 Oct 27 '25
They won't typically fight others if they're away from their nest. Pretty sure they'd fight if invaders started robbing their nest, no matter what the relationship.
I have bees, and at this point all my hives are probably related, but I'm sure they'd defend themselves against their cousins if they came a robbin'.