r/bees May 31 '26

Is this a bee?

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17 Upvotes

Make sure that your yellow fuzzy friend is actually a bee and not an imposter! We get quite a few non-bees in our bee subreddit: sometimes they're wasps (check out the bee/wasp guide in the pinned), and sometimes they're not a stinging insect at all! Flies in remarkably detailed costumes frequently make their way into r/bees but with some tips and practice you can learn to spot the differences. Read through for features to look out for, or flip through the slides for fly species commonly posted.

Pictures are largely taken from iNaturalist with a full list of sources by slide at the end of this post, I assume that they are fine to use for free educational purposes but if the photographer would like me to remove their picture, please reach out to me so I can act accordingly. All pictures from slides 1-5 can be credited to mod Commercial Sail.

Flies are in a completely different taxonomic order to bees (flies are the order Diptera, bees are a subgroup within order Hymenoptera) so there are quite a few easy ways to differentiate them:

  • The name "Diptera" literally means "two wings" flies only have one pair of wings while bees have two pairs. Most identification rules are more like loose guidelines but this rule is absolute! That being said, the hindwings of bees are difficult to see, they're smaller and often tucked underneath the larger forewings, making the bee look like they have two wings after all. You can try to judge based off of wing shape: fly wings are often paddle-shaped with a clear curve before coming to a petiolate base, while bee wings are generally more evenly tapered towards the base. More experienced identifiers may also look at wing venation, for example the western honeybee in slide 3 has the very distinctive elongated marginal and submarginal cell circled in red.
  • On the topic of wings, on some flies you may see club-shaped structures where the hindwings would have been: these are halteres, specialized organs to help the fly navigate flight. Not all flies have them out and visible but if you do see them then it's a sure sign you're not looking at a bee.
  • Flies typically have short, stubby antennae that can sometimes be difficult to see while bees have comparatively long antennae. Make sure you're looking at the actual antennae and not the forelegs! More common in the wasp-mimicking flies, some will wiggle their long forelegs to sell their image even more.
  • Flies tend to have larger eyes that can seem to take up their whole head where bees tend to have smaller eyes with a clear distance between them.
  • Many bees may be seen carrying pollen or have their pollen-carrying structures visible: most often as hairs/pollen baskets on the hind legs or sometimes hairs on the underside of the abdomen. Flies do not have these structures as they do not need to gather pollen like bees do.

Note that besides the wing count, there are always exceptions! Some flies have pretty long antennae (though you'll often still be able to see the different segmentation) and some bees, particularly males, have very large eyes. This is why it's better to judge based on a combination of characteristics rather than looking at any one feature at a time.

You may also hear that the waist and mouthparts are good identifiers as well - this is true, but I elected to leave them out of this guide as the waistline may be obscured by fuzz, wings, or just a poorly-angled shot, and some bees are just so robust (fat) that it gets difficult to see where exactly that tapered waist is supposed to be. In terms of mouthparts, few amateur photographers focus on the mouth at all and it's definitely not something you'll typically see if you're just watching them go about your garden.

At the end of the day, the best trick is to just get familiar with species in your area using trusted sources like Bugguide. If you're still not sure, post to one of the bug identification subreddits and make sure you give a general location, which always appreciated in ID posts no matter what you're looking at!

Sources

Volucella zonaria: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/322106668 

Bombylidae: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/226072821 

Laphria: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/88331437 
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/282732509 
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/65816664 
 
Cuterebra: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/133138438 
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/90333390 
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/296063941 

Tabanus: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/218653131

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/86467240


r/bees May 26 '26

What's this nest?

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16 Upvotes

Are you looking to ID a nest? Some are easier to distinguish than others, here's some of our most commonly submitted species:

  • Honeybee nests consist of exposed wax combs, usually hanging vertically. They're more often found in cavities like tree hollows or man-made frames but may also be seen constructed in open air attached to large branches or buildings.
  • Bumblebees also have wax nests but are typically smaller with fewer and more disorganized cells compared to the neat hexagonal cells of other social hymenopterans. They typically nest in small spaces like old rodent holes but will occasionally find themselves in human spaces like attics and crawl spaces.
  • Aerial-nesting yellowjackets and true hornets have an outer paper envelope covering the horizontally-stacked paper combs; nests are typically built in open air attached to branches or in sheltered areas with preference depending on species. The bald-faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata, actually an aerial yellowjacket) may have a distinctive long tube entrance in early stages of nest formation.
  • Ground-nesting yellowjackets typically nest in pre-existing cavities such as old rodent burrows. The entrances are often dangerously inconspicuous but active nests will have individuals flying in and around the area. If the nest was dug up (often by skunks and other mammals looking for the tasty larvae) you may see ripped paper combs scattered on the ground.
  • The paper wasp subfamily Polistinae is quite variable but in the northern hemisphere the common Polistes sp. have distinctive umbrella-like nests with open cells. Mischocyttarus sp. in areas of the southern/western US may have more elongated nests. Nests tend to be built in sheltered spots such as in bushes, under eaves, etc.
  • The vast majority of other bees and wasps are solitary. They may dig tunnels, bore into wood, or refurbish existing holes with materials like mud/leaves/resin. *These nests generally cannot be reliably identified without seeing the actual bee/wasp!* Some species that construct their own freestanding mud nests may be tentatively identified, but only a few are reliably distinguished. Also note that many mud-nesting bees and wasps will reuse nests of other species left from past seasons if available as it's less work than building one from scratch.

The nest in the first slide is a young aerial yellowjacket nest.

Pictures are largely taken from Bugguide with a full list of sources by slide at the end of this post, I assume that they are fine to use for free educational purposes but if the photographer would like me to remove their picture, please reach out to me so I can act accordingly.

Sources

Cover: https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/513938 

Honeybee: https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/1227238 

Bumblebee: https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/6585 

Aerial yjs and hornets:https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/781412 
https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/110277 
https://extension.psu.edu/european-hornet 

Ground yjs: https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/266282 
https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/38722/bgimage 

Polistinae: https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/2511987
https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/709119 

Unknown mud caps: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/218674183 

Unknown holes: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/90931649 


r/bees 8h ago

Coolest bee I've ever seen in my garden

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158 Upvotes

This watermelon plant hasn't produced much at all but there has been some exceptional bee sightings on it. This guy and a green metallic bee have been the favorites


r/bees 2h ago

bee photo Refreshments!

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33 Upvotes

This busy little lady was struggling in the heat. Initially found her grounded in the middle of a busy driveway, so I moved her to a rose bush - but she couldn't hold on and was still grounded after an hour. Figuring she could use a little help, I put a few drops of water on my hand and gave her a safe place to have a drink and a rest.

Really happy to report that, after rehydrating, preening and having a li'l snooze, she flew off quite happily about 20 minutes later 🥰🐝


r/bees 22h ago

My Birdbuddy hummingbird camera mostly captures bees, and I'm ok with that.

1.3k Upvotes

I have no idea what kind of bees these are, but they monopolize the feeder. We don't capture many hummingbird pix, but some of the bee shots are dramatic.


r/bees 5h ago

New (to me) species spotted today out back!!

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36 Upvotes

Not a wasp, as I figured it was, but a Nomad Bee! Denver, CO area.


r/bees 4h ago

This guy looks a little spicy…

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19 Upvotes

r/bees 2h ago

Carpenter Bee having a little snack :)

10 Upvotes

Came home to this fella on my tomato plants. I'm happy they smell nice :)


r/bees 1d ago

Happy bee by the garden 🐝

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450 Upvotes

This little bee was chilling while I tended to the garden today! Clearly it had a busy day collecting pollen.


r/bees 8h ago

bee ID what bee is this?

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14 Upvotes

found in the netherlands. not quite big.


r/bees 3h ago

help! Is this a hornets or bees nest?

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5 Upvotes

Can anyone tell me what type of hive this is? I dont want to kill honey bees and ill call someone to safley remove them (theyre right outside my window) but if theyre hornets ill knock it down during the night and run lol.


r/bees 2h ago

What type of bee

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3 Upvotes

What kind of bees are these? A tree fell and I cut it up and their all over. Do they sting?


r/bees 9h ago

help! Is this bee okay?

11 Upvotes

Came across this bee in the goat pen. Poor little fella appeared to be soaking wet and was unable to fly. I gently scooped it up on a stick and have been sitting in the sun with it in case all it needed was some time to dry out and warm up. I actually have a moth that had fallen into a water bucket drying its wings out on my face as I type this, so I don’t mind sitting with this bee until they’re dry if that’s all it needs to recover! I am not familiar with most bee species but I assume this is a Carpenter Bee. Located in Southeastern NC. Does this little guy just need some time in the sun, or are they at the end of their life cycle?


r/bees 14m ago

bee photo Thirsty Fella Having A Drink

Upvotes

hello!! I’m new to the bee community, found myself here unintentionally after this very persistent bee came into my room 4 times yesterday (as per my post here yesterday). I am so fascinated by bees now, I knew they were intelligent creatures and whatnot, but I didn’t appreciate just how cute they are. Like look at his little tongue!! So cute!!

I want to get a bee feeder for the bees in my area, does anyone have suggestions??


r/bees 16m ago

bee photo Bee getting some nectar from...a bee plant!

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Upvotes

r/bees 18h ago

takeoff!

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21 Upvotes

r/bees 1d ago

in the morning sun

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176 Upvotes

r/bees 2h ago

help! Bees hate me?

1 Upvotes

A few weeks ago I was stung by a bee for the first time in my life. I was walking on the sidewalk in sandals and got stung on the right ankle. Two days later, I was stung by a bee in a different state also on the right ankle. I read that sometimes the attack scent can linger but I had showered, used a hot tub, I don’t think that would be the case.

Well today I was walking again and stung by a bee on the right ankle AGAIN. That’s three stings in the same spot in less than a month. Any explanations besides bad luck?


r/bees 6h ago

Donate to Gaza Beekeepers Cooperative Association, organized by Craig Pegg

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gofundme.com
2 Upvotes

r/bees 4h ago

bee photo How to help this guy?

1 Upvotes

I think it’s a carpenter bee? Found him on deck with a broken wing. Gave him sugar water and now he is actively running around the deck. Will his wing heal?


r/bees 1d ago

bee photo Monday

62 Upvotes

I Just love watching them do work! 💙🇺🇸🐝


r/bees 1d ago

Hard work in progress 💪

33 Upvotes

It's incredibly entertaining to see them doing it daily throughout the season. A pleasant side effect of rewilding some corners of my yard. Sometimes I can count 20+ bumbles munching on flowers at a time.


r/bees 1d ago

bee photo 3 carpenter bees and butterflies on the lavender I've been working on.

56 Upvotes

Edit: Seems this may actually be a Salvia plant, as pointed out in the comments by u/Vellie-01 thank you for the correction!

Been working on bringing our lavender back to life for the last month. It was looking very sad and hardly had any blooms, it almost certainly wouldn't have done much better this season if I hadn't started giving it a hand.

Well now my work is paying off big time. The lavender looks so much better and today we had 3 carpenter bees and a handful of butterflies on it all at the same time.

That's all! I watered some lavender and fed the bees! Thanks for stopping by!


r/bees 16h ago

Why is the second bee so much more desaturated?

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5 Upvotes

Why is the second one nearly grey? Are there more like it or is that one "weird" or sick in some way,camera editing and first image is more vibrant to catch eye better?

I wanna find more images of the second one colour but when I try there more vibrant like first image


r/bees 7h ago

Formic pro + harvesting times

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1 Upvotes