Externally bees and wasps are very similar among themselves, it is quite easy to mix them. But in fact it is much more differences between these insects, than similarity.
Both bees, and wasps belong to a suborder strelchatobryukhy, being a part of Hymenoptera. Closest "relatives" of these insects – ants.
Wasps – a concept less certain. So are called all stinging representatives of a suborder strelchatobryukhy which have no signs allowing to carry them to number of ants or bees.Some entomologists consider bees as the specialized form of wasps which developed in the course of evolution.
Way of life
Bees and wasps differ from each other even in appearance. At a bee the body of rounded shape, at a wasp it extended, drawn around a thorax. Coloring both at bees, and at wasps has an appearance of the alternating yellow and black strips, but at a wasp black strips brighter, than at a bee. Species of wasps and bees are subdivided into single and public. In the first case all adult individuals are capable to reproduction. At public insects to reproduction only men's adult individuals and a uterus, and the rest of "family" – infertile female individuals are capable. However, between public bees and public wasps there is an essential distinction. When there comes the winter, working individuals create comfortable conditions for a queen bee. Public wasps of it do not do, the uterus winters alone. Adult bees eat in the summer nectar which is collected from flowers, and for winter food they in a special way "preserve" it in cells therefore it turns out medical. For bringing up of larvae of a bee use in a special way the processed flower pollen – a perga. Bees do cells in which ripens and honey is stored of the wax emitted by their organism. For puttying of cracks and disinfection of eggs of a bee emit other substance – propolis. The diet of wasps is more various. They eat not only nectar, but also fruit and also small insects. They produce material for construction of a nest by chewing of wood fibers, at the same time something turns out like paper.
Bees, wasps and person
Honey bees are used many centuries by the person for receiving honey and wax. Other products of beekeeping – a perg and propolis – are used in medicine. Besides, bees play an important role in agriculture, pollinating plants. Unlike bees, wasps do not produce any substances which the person could use. Wasps do harm to fruit plants – such as plum, grapes, pears, apple-trees. Making openings in a peel of fruits, they eat away pulp, and the remained openings attract slugs and other wreckers. Wasps and bees differ also in degree of danger to the person. Bees sting the person only if he shows aggression, for example, waves a hand at the sight of a bee. Wasps are more aggressive: to provoke their attack, it is enough to be near a nest. A bee, having bitten the person, loses a sting and perishes, does not happen to a wasp of it. The wasp at a sting uses not only a sting, but also the maxillary device. The first that should be made at a sting of a bee is to remove a sting with nails or tweezers, at a sting of a wasp there is no such need.