One of the first things that people tell me, when the subject of bees come up, is how afraid they are of bees, and wasps. Some of them justify this extreme fear with a couple of encounters, or stings. Some, like my husband don't care for bees much because they disturbed a nest and were stung multiple times. Some people are afraid either because they are allergic, or have convinced themselves that they are allergic to stings.
So I am going to point out some things I have learned about bees, over the years. And not just honey bees, but bumble bees and wasps, and solitary bees as well. This will be the first installment. I might go back on some photos and get more detailed later. For now, just some neat stuff I have found.
And for the record, I used to be one of those people, who would freak out if a bee or wasp, or any flying buzzing creature got too close to me or my head. Why? I don't know. I have only been stung a few times. But I was determined to get past this and for the most part I have.
Okay, I think that most people know by now that bees are good for the environment. That pollinators in general are necessary for food production, not only for domestic sources, but also wild foods for wild animals. I have talked to individuals over time and it amazes me how they know this, but make it very clear, "If it comes into my yard, it's dead."
As if bees or wasps or any kind of bug really, will acknowledge that it is trespassing because it flew over your fence or is hanging around your front door like a solicitor. For some reason, some individuals have convinced themselves that they can chemically sterilize suburbia, and that this will not affect wild places or urban or suburban wildlife. The have a kind of weird "Separate but Equal" idea that doesn't exist in reality.
Anything you do outside, will affect other areas outside. And pollinators, and birds, insects, squirrels, etc., they go everywhere. When they are done visiting the equivalent of your backyard, chemical, superfund site, they will fly to other yards and other places, taking that poison with them. Or the poison in your yard will be spread by wind, or water run-off to other unintended sites, often affecting more than just the *target insect.
The fact of the matter is, the reason that people call exterminators or buy gallons of pesticides is because insects [including bees] are always looking for habitat. That WE built our homes on their habitat. For Example: we don't see migrations of monarch butterflies, because they are attracted to the toxic, food-desert that is suburbia. They migrate through because we built our towns and cities and homes and neighborhoods on their migration route, on their habitats, on their "spawning sites".
[disclaimer: sometimes you remove insects because they pose a danger to health and welfare, so my admonitions are about overkill, or over-reaction and not necessarily objections to those who are having to take action out of genuine necessity]
In this area of the Southwest, when people attempt to get grass to grow in bare sandy spots, sometimes they discover colonies of solitary bees, or digger bees or wasps in the sand. In some species, females will keep returning year after year to their hatch-site to build their own nest in the ground for years until the populations become quite large. Humans think it's a sudden infestation. They don't realize that they are seeing the signs of generations of inhabitants. It's a colony of sorts, but not like honey bees, they aren't all working as a team in one nest. Just over time, the population built up as more and more female offspring returned to reproduce in that spot.
I found this video on Youtube:
The person who posted it referred to it as scary. This is a type of digger wasp or sand wasp. Check out this Wikipedia page on Sand Wasps.
We have observed sand wasps in this area. They often take other insects into their burrow to use as a host for their eggs. They are parasitic. They help control flies and grasshoppers. As you can see below, this one seems to have caught a small grasshopper or cricket. They really are not that scary. Though they do come in a variety of sizes. Some can be rather large and perch on flowers waiting for females [a common behavior in bees and wasps and some butterflies].
Here is another frame of the same wasp, dragging it's prey into it's burrow.
Sometimes these little wasps will get annoyed and buzz around you. But thus far, neither I nor the kids have ever been stung by these particular kinds of wasps. Even when we are in an area where there are a lot of nests/burrows. Unlike yellow jackets, these wasps [by our observations/experiences] are not aggressive.
This is one of the smaller wasps. Very tiny, perhaps as long as a knuckle on my pinkie finger. They are florescent yellow and green with black stripes with very large eyes.
Here is an image of a larger specimen that took up residence in my garden last year.
Other critters like to inhabit these sandy, bare places. This is a velvet ant or cow killer. It's a kind of wingless wasp. They are very pretty and come in a variety of colors. Some can be quite large. You can read a bit more about Velvet Ants at Wikipedia.
I have found velvet ants feeding on the nectar of sunflowers and asters. When we find them, they attempt to escape and evade detection. They are very shy. These can sting you, but if you are careful and observant, that is highly unlikely. The biggest issue we have seen, is that when an ant is trying to get away from one person, it might run into someone else's leg. We have yet to see these occur in very large numbers. They don't have colonies like fire ants or sugar ants. There are no hills to step on.
Velvet ants parasitize solitary bees. So they help control bee populations and flighted wasp populations.
This cuckoo bee exoskeleton was found in the area. Notice how it is hollowed out? I wonder if a velvet ant used this bee as a host for it's larva?
Here is another color variation on a Velvet ant as it enters a burrow.
The next photo is a Thread Waisted Wasp
I have witnessed these collecting caterpillars for their burrows. Even when they are numerous, these never bother us when we are out with our cameras. Although, we do take great care to avoid stepping on areas that appear to be burrow entrances.
All of these insects had taken up residence on a beach area near a lake last year during the drought. It was one of the few areas that was overflowing with activity because there were more food sources available and some water as well.
I often find Tiger Beetles in areas with Velvet Ants and Digger Wasps. These are another, highly beneficial insect. They have amazing variety and some are quite pretty.
I have discovered, that like bird watching, you could spend a lifetime amassing photos of various insect species like Tiger Beetles and Bees, and your time would be well spent. If you are interested in observing Tiger Beetles in your area, this is a good site to visit: Tiger Beetles of the USA. As you can see, it's an interactive site hosted by the USGS [United States Geological Survey], that helps you ID beetles by state. Here is the Oklahoma page.
Check out the colors of this Festive Tiger Beetle.
As natural predators, tiger beetles eat just about anything they can catch. Gilbert said they dine on other beetles, hoppers, ants and caterpillars. Tiger beetles are also well-known to scavenge for their food and have been known to scavenge on vertebrate animals. Cornell U. When Tiger Beetles Chase Prey, They Go Blind Temporarily Entymologists Learn
A bit of advice if you decide to go on a bug hunt. Avoid wearing perfume, most especially citrus or lemony scents. Take sunscreen and a hat with a broad brim like something you wear in the garden. Take plenty of water and a snack.
Binoculars are good, or a camera that can zoom in. That way you can observe at a comfortable distance until you figure out how close you want to get. Bees and wasps do sting. So there is some risk involved and that means you need to be careful. Do not disturb nests or burrows. If a bee or wasp flies very close to your face or person and makes a loud buzzing sound, then you have been warned. That is their version of the warning shot across the bow. You need to carefully and deliberately back away to a safer distance.
Avoid swatting at bees or flailing if you can. You might get stung once. If you flail around, you could invite multiple stings. If you see it--- Do not approach obvious wasp nests. Be sure and listen.
Wearing a hat helps. Because if your hair is up [or short] and you have a good hat on, if the insects decide to land on your head, they don't get caught in your hair. This happens sometimes. Bees and wasps can accidentally fly into you on their way to some other place, or land on you out of curiosity. Mahogany Wasps are especially curious, which can make their presence rather unnerving.
In large wasp or bee nests, you can hear the buzzing. If you hear buzzing of a lot of insects in the area around you, then it's time stop and look around, and make sure you are not about to stumble into a dangerous situation.
The critters I am showing here are not social. They don't live in colonies like yellow jackets or bumble bees. So there is a lower likelihood of a person being stung multiple times and ending up in the hospital, or worse. I like to stay in areas that have good trails or are open enough that I can observe the land/ground to assess potential hazards.
If you see something like this paper wasp nest
Or this Yellow jacket nest:
If you see a nest in the ground like this--
Avoid those scenarios.
Do not go into overgrown areas if you are unfamiliar with the terrain. That is a good way to find snakes or a case of lyme disease.
Be careful around tree stumps and other hollowed out objects. Watch to see if something has taken up residence. Many insects and other animals actively search for "Pre-Fab" Houses to move into, and that means old mouse burrows, hollow trees or stumps, or other hollowed out objects.
Be safe and enjoy yourself.