How to tell stinging insects apart
Shape, fur and behaviour separate them faster than colour. Wasps are smooth with a sharp waist. Bees are furry. Hoverflies hover in place and have big eyes. Hornets are simply bigger, and the Asian hornet is unusually dark.
| Insect | Look | Behaviour | Nest | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wasp | Smooth, bright yellow and black, narrow waist | Scavenges food in late summer | Grey papery ball | Treat or leave |
| Honeybee | Slim, golden brown, slightly fuzzy | Visits flowers, swarms in early summer | Hives, walls, chimneys | Call a beekeeper |
| Bumblebee | Round, furry, often with a coloured tail | Slow, visits flowers | Bird boxes, compost, under sheds | Leave it |
| Hoverfly | Flat, big eyes, yellow bars | Hovers perfectly still | None | Harmless |
| European hornet | Very large, brown and yellow | Can fly at night | Papery, in cavities and trees | Leave or a pro |
| Asian hornet | Dark, one orange band, yellow legs | Hovers outside hives hunting bees | Large, often high in trees | Report it |
Spotting an Asian hornet
The Asian hornet is slightly smaller than our native European hornet and much darker, with one yellow-orange band near the tail and bright yellow legs. Its giveaway behaviour is hovering outside beehives to catch bees. If you think you've seen one, take a photo and report it. Our hornet guide has more.
Why bees aren't treated like wasps
Honeybee nests can't simply be poisoned, because other colonies rob the honey and carry the poison home. Most pest controllers refuse to treat them. A swarm can usually be collected by a beekeeper, and bumblebee nests die off on their own. See our guide to bees.
Questions people ask
Do all wasps sting?
Female wasps can sting, and unlike honeybees they can sting more than once. They usually only sting when threatened or near their nest.
Why do wasps get aggressive in late summer?
The colony stops producing young, so workers stop being fed the sugary secretions from larvae and go looking for sugar elsewhere.
What does an Asian hornet nest look like?
Often a large, round papery nest high up in a tree, though early in the year they can build smaller nests lower down, in sheds or hedges.