About Bees
Common Minnesota "bees"
Unfortunately for our honey bees, any kind of bee, wasp, or hornet is often referred to as a bee, especially when you are being pestered, bitten or stung. The bee that is kept for producing honey is a very docile bee from Europe or Russia, while several of the imposters give them a bad name by being aggressive or visiting our backyard picnics. Honey bees will sting only to protect their hive from threats or when being squished. When a honey bee stings, the stinger pulls out of its body and the bee dies. Unlike many wasps and hornets they cannot sting more than once.
Read on and learn how to tell the difference between honey bees and some of the others.
HONEY BEE

Honey bee

Honey bee hives

Natural honeycomb
YELLOW JACKET WASP

Yellow jacket wasp

Yellow jacket wasp nest

Yellow jackets are attracted to sweets
BALDFACED HORNET

Baldfaced hornet

Baldfaced hornet nest
BUMBLE BEE

Bumble bees

Bumble bee colonies are found in the ground