York County Beekeepers' Association

"Beekeeping that is environmentally correct, economically viable and socially just."

"If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left. 
No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more man."...... Often erroneously attributed to Albert Einstein
   

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Identifying Bee Types

How to identify Honey Bees, Hornets, Wasps or other types of Similar Insects

There are over 3500 types of bees in the US.  These are just a few common ones which you may come in contact with.

HONEY BEES

Honey Bee                 Honey Bee ~ dark          Honey Bee ~ Light

Honey Bee                                    Honey Bee dark                    Honey Bee light

Honey Bee Nests  ~ made of wax

    Nest in wall cavity          Exposed on Tree          In tree cavity
                                               (rare)                                           

Nest inside wall cavity  Nest exposed on tree ~ rare  Nest in tree cavity

 

YELLOW JACKETS/HORNETS

Yellow jackets and other hornets are members of the Wasp family

    Yellow Jacket                  Yellow Jacket                Yellow Jacket

Yellow Jacket light                       Yellow Jacket dark                          Eastern Yellow Jacket

Yellow Jacket Nests  ~  made of paper

Nest in wall cavity           Exposed on Tree          Under ground nest

Yellow Jacket nest in wall cavity   Yellow Jacket nest exposed on tree  Yellow Jacket nest in ground

 

Others

   Bald Face Hornet            Bumble Bee                    Carpenter Bee

Bald face hornet              Bumble bee                       

Bald face hornet nest      Bumble Bee nest        Carpenter Bee nest hole

Bald face hornet nest               Bumble bee nest                      Carpenter bee nest hole