Is It a Bee or a Wasp?
By the Clark Pest Entomology Team
Last updated: October 28, 2026
Quick answer: UC IPM says honey bees have more hair and less bright striping than yellowjackets, which have jagged yellow and black bands and a very short waist. Paper wasps have long, slender waists. Africanized honey bees look just like regular ones, so judge them by how they act. Bees moving into a wall need removal.
Which Bee Did You Find?
Clark covers one bee in its pest guide. It looks just like the common honey bee, which is why people ask about it.
Africanized Honey Bee
About 1/2 to 5/8 inch long with a hairy, orangish-brown to black body and a banded abdomen. It looks like a regular honey bee, so Clark says it takes an expert to tell them apart.
European or Africanized Honey Bee? What Sets Them Apart
Looks will not settle it. These clues, from California health and university sources, separate the two by how they act and where they nest.
| Clue | European honey bee | Africanized honey bee |
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| Appearance | Looks the same as the Africanized bee | Looks the same as the European bee. Only an expert can tell them apart |
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| Sting venom | Same venom as the Africanized bee | Same venom, but a person can take ten or more times as many stings from a disturbed colony |
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| What sets off an attack | Defends the nest if provoked | A lawn mower or chain saw within 100 feet often incites an attack. Children playing within 50 feet can too |
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| How far it chases | Clark says up to 33 feet | Clark says over 300 feet. CDPH says up to a quarter mile and agitated for eight or more hours |
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| Where it nests | Prefers dark cavities such as hollow trees. UC IPM also lists walls, chimneys, soffits and under decks | Underground sites, flower pots and old tires, per CDPH |
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| How often it swarms | Far less often | 20 to 40 times more often than European bees |
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Bees in Your Yard or on Your House
A ball of bees hanging from a branch or wall
That is a swarm cluster. The UC IPM guide to honey bee swarms says swarming is how a colony reproduces. A flying swarm can hold 5,000 to 20,000 bees. Most spring swarms of European honey bees are extremely docile. Africanized swarms and swarms that have run out of food are less predictable. Keep people and pets away and do not spray the cluster with a hose or throw things at it.
UC IPM says clusters are short-lived and generally need no treatment. If one has to go, call a beekeeper.
Bees flying in and out of a gap in the wall
That is a colony moving in. Bees establishing a colony in a home need to be removed, and honey bees nest in wall voids, chimneys, soffits, water meters, utility boxes and under decks. Clark advises removing a hive from your walls before honey stains the wall or draws other pests. A cluster that shrinks without flying away is a sign the bees are heading inside.
If Bees Chase You or Sting
Get away first
The California Department of Public Health says to leave the area quickly, cover your face with your arms and clothing and get inside a car or building. A healthy person can usually outrun honeybees. Do not try to remove the colony yourself. Call your county agricultural commissioner, environmental health department or vector control agency.
Remove the stinger fast
Scrape it out with a fingernail or the edge of a credit card. Do not squeeze it with tweezers or fingers. CDPH says to do it as soon as possible, preferably within 20 seconds. UC IPM notes that venom keeps entering the skin for 45 to 60 seconds, so speed matters more than method. Then wash the spot and use a cold pack.
When a sting needs a doctor
See a doctor if breathing is hard, if you were stung several times or if you are allergic. According to UC IPM, swelling on the neck or mouth needs immediate care. CDPH also warns of delayed toxic effects from the venom, including kidney failure and cardiac arrest, so tell your doctor how many times you were stung.
After the Bees Are Removed
Ask what the removal job includes. Pest control companies generally kill the bees before removing them. A colony killed inside a wall and left there can rot, smell and leak fermenting honey through drywall. A full job takes out the bees and the comb and closes the opening.
Then seal up. Beeswax odor lingers and attracts new scouts for a long time. UC IPM says to close any hole big enough for a pencil that leads to a hollow space. Cover larger openings with screen that has six or more meshes per inch and fill cavities with expanding foam.
Clark says many stinging insects mistaken for bees are yellowjackets, which are wasps. Their nests call for a different plan. Clark's wasp, hornet and yellowjacket guide helps you sort them out.
Clark's Expert Insight
Do not spray a colony in a wall and walk away. The dead bees, brood and honey stay behind and can seep through drywall. Find the nest first, have the comb taken out and seal the entry point once the bees are gone.
Bee Questions Homeowners Ask
What is the difference between a bee and a wasp?
Look at the hair, the stripes and the waist. According to UC IPM, honey bees have more hair and are less brightly striped than yellowjackets, which have jagged yellow and black bands and a narrow, very short waist. Paper wasps have long, slender waists and long legs. Honey bees usually ignore food, while yellowjackets go after human food and garbage.
How can I tell an Africanized honey bee from a regular honey bee?
You cannot, by sight. The two look the same, and Clark says it takes an expert. Watch behavior instead. Africanized colonies send far more bees after a threat and may chase for a quarter mile. They also nest in odd spots like flower pots, old tires and underground.
Are Africanized honey bees in California?
Yes, in the south. The California Department of Public Health says they reached the state's southern border in October 1993 and are now established throughout Southern California. UC IPM says European honey bees are the common honey bees in central and Northern California.
Is a bee swarm in my tree dangerous?
Most spring swarms of European honey bees are extremely docile, UC IPM says. They are not defending a nest or brood. Still, leave the cluster alone and keep children and pets back. If it has to be moved, call a beekeeper.
How far will bees chase me?
Clark says Africanized bees chase for over 300 feet. The California Department of Public Health says up to a quarter mile and that they may stay agitated for eight or more hours. Run for a car or building and cover your face.
Can I remove a hive from my wall myself?
UC IPM says not to unless you have experience and proper equipment. Removal can mean opening the wall, and according to UC IPM, everyone nearby needs a full bee suit when bees are vacuumed out. The state health department also says not to remove a colony yourself. Call a beekeeper or a pest control company that does bee removal.
Can honey bees sting more than once?
No. UC IPM and CDPH both say a honey bee can sting only once. A disturbed Africanized colony sends so many bees that one person can take ten or more times as many stings.