Bee Haters
In this article, The Scroll Editor comes out of writing retirement one last time to address the most important topic at present: bee haters and all of the misinformation being spread for so many years.
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Bee Haters
Bee Haters
By Lillie Olson
By Lillie Olson
There is a massive misconception over what a bee is and, over the years, a misdirected fear has penetrated society. Situations that prove this misunderstanding happen more and more often once spring comes around every year. It is time that it gets addressed. So much so, that in my last month of high school and, on top of creating the end-of-the-year issue for our school's newspaper, I felt the need to produce an article for your consumption.
As children, most of us have been stung at one point or another by a bee and, for some, it was traumatizing. However, many people have overreacted and decided that an immense fear of the mediocre, short-lived pain means that they need to create a false persona of having a deadly allergy to bees. Less than four percent of adults are deathly allergic to bees, with about 60 deaths in America each year from anaphylactic shock due to the venom. This is made evident by BeeAware's research on common symptoms. BeeAware also lists preventative actions to take to save an allergic reaction. Epipens are available at local pharmacies with in-depth instructions on how to use them. Our school has a unit in Emergency Care on how to identify symptoms, inject the EpiPen and follow up actions. A survey done by the National Library of Medicine, states that over 50% of people carry Epipens, even if they aren't allergic themselves. Other people have allergic reactions to a venom injection but not a lethal reaction. The most common aftermath is an inflamed bump with throbbing pain that persists for a day or two but is easily treatable with Benadryl and ice packs. With such low death rates and common preventatives, due to immense knowledge of treatments, the anxiety-inducing fear our society finds so common is needless.
The problem does not lie in the fear of pain from a sting but in the overcast label of what a bee is. There are over 20,000 species of bees spread across the world and yet the idea of a bee is still overused in the Aculeata family (having a sting or prick). Similar insects to the bees in this order family are yellow jackets and wasps. However, somehow, the word "bee" is used to describe them all, even though their characteristics are completely different.
Bees
Bees
Many different species are often spotted in our area, such as the bumblebee, the honey bee, and the carpenter bee. Though they all look different, they have similarities. They tend to have fuzzy, round bodies and circular faces with larger eyes. Flower fields or streams are normal places to find them. Bees live, depending on the species, between two weeks to two months. The bees spend their lives collecting pollen for the hive or cleaning and building the home. Being such a small insect that only eats pollen, their temperament is generally calm unless they feel threatened due to the lack of instinct to hunt. If a bee circles you, it is more than likely that you are wearing blue, green or purple, which is what they see best or smell like a food source. It will eventually move past without trouble. An Analysis of a Bees Aggression has shown that they are defenders but do know where it is best to attack. It is noted that "bees are drawn towards attacking sensitive areas around the head" but will shortly die after a sting, due to disemboweling themselves when they leave the stinger behind.
Yellow Jackets
Yellow Jackets
Photo Credit: National Park Service
In flight, they can look similar to a bee but the sound of their wings are harsher because their wings are skinnier than bees. When they land, you can see distinct differences in their appearance, as well. Their bodies are longer, with darker yellow and black colors due to the lack of fuzz. The antennas are longer and the heads are more square with small, pointy eyes. Yellow jackets are social insects, which means they work together with others from their colony to complete a task, according to WITT a pest sight. When close to their hives or food sources, they are able to mobilize quickly and chase for several yards through rough terrain before giving up the attack. They are known to bite before they sting in order to get a better grip so they can repeatedly insert their stinger without the barbs getting stuck. Even though they primarily are meat eaters, they are pollinators and, therefore, it is not recommended to disturb their existence. However, most homeowners are strongly opinionated about yellow jackets' residence on their properties and attempt to remove them whenever they appear. Lawn Love lays out tips on how to safely remove their hives and prevent their formations.
Wasps and Hornets
Wasps and Hornets
Wasps, which is an overarching name for the flying and stinging insects, are very similar to hornets. Closely related to the yellow jackets, they are also territorial making them more aggressive than most others. The distinction that is most easily noticeable between wasps and yellow jackets are the very small "waists." They tend to be long and awkwardly shaped, whereas the others look proportionate. Georgia's Department of Natural Resources explains how, even though it is inconvenient for fluid flow, it enables them to fit into smaller places and "maneuver their bodies into a position to lay eggs." Unlike the rest of the family of insects, they excavate little tunnels in the ground to make homes. The close proximity makes bringing live prey back to the larva easier due to the lower ability to leave. Hornets and wasps tend to be larger than yellow jackets and bees. They are also hairless because they don't pollinate but are meat eaters.
Comparison
Comparison
As you can see, not only do yellow jackets and waps have distinct characteristic differences from bees, but they also look very different. Though they all tend to be yellow, buzz as they fly, and have similar body shapes, their temperaments are extremely different. When people mistake yellow jackets, wasps or hornets for bees, they end up mislabeling and creating a false fear of bees. To put it simply, bees are calm honey makers, yellow jackets are bright home aggressors, and hornets or wasps are a genetic malfunction that we could live without. To call them all the same thing is to assume all cousins are the same. With one last wave goodbye, I leave you all with this knowledge to correct any dull peers who attack the sweet little pollinators who thankfully just got off the endangered list!
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