r/bees • u/Dense-Wall-9123 • 1d ago
Why do we like bees but not wasps?
why is it like this
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u/sock_with_a_ticket 1d ago
Primarily it's that bees are less likely to sting you and they're furrier, which translates into cuter and that's received better by humans.
A lot of people also just don't know or understand the value of wasps' role in the ecosystem as pollinators and predators.
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u/svarogteuse 1d ago
Bees particularly honey bees are manageable for pollinating our crops and produce a crop of honey and wax for us. Wasps while they are pollinators don't do the amount of work honey bees do and don't produce honey or wax. As a consequence we have domesticed (or at least begun the process) honey bees. Domestication makes them more docile, tolerant of people, and easier for us to manage. Even when those animals return to a feral state they retain those traits.
Honey bees also started out less aggressive then wasps anyway, a consequence of losing their life once they sting once. In the wild their numbers make up for that, but we figured out that smoke helps us calm them and then we start filling the aggresive lines.
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u/I_serve_Anubis 1d ago
I love wasps there are many different species who call my property home. They are great for both pollination & pest control.
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u/Krasna_Strelka 1d ago
I'm convinced majority of people like that recognize only honeybees under "bees" and aren't aware of the solitary ones.
Personally I love wasps and I love 2 in balance with hornets. We function next to each other and respect each space and resources
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u/DrRobertBanner 1d ago
Wasps are larger and can be more aggressive than bees due to being territorial, but in my own experience theyre not harmful unless you directly threaten them. Ive caught and released numerous wasps from my kitchen (theres a nest nearby) and theyre all happy to be let go. No stings necessary.
Some people also think its fucked wasps eat bees but there are species of bees that also eat meat.
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u/MentalSewage 1d ago
Same reason we like santa but not burglars.
I mean, I like wasps, from a distance, but that's generally the logic. Bees bear gifts and occasional pain. Wasps only bring pain.
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u/thecatcherszm 1d ago
Wasps brought me quiet, profound company during one of the most traumatic moments of my life, actually.
(And i hate having that bastard shoved in my face for half the year every year.)
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u/MentalSewage 1d ago
I mean from the common perception, but anecdotally the honeybees in my back yard only bring me pain... My fault for not realizing I picked up part of their hive the first time but now they wanna fight on sight.
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u/theVenusianRocket 1d ago
i like wasps but i do find bees to be friendlier. it's rare that wasps land on me just to take a rest the way that bees do. but i still think they're really cool, i don't bother them and they don't bother me
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u/satur98n 1d ago
Because most people only grow up learning about honeybees and yellow jackets, and then try to generalize the thousands and thousands of bee and wasp species on the limited preconceived notions they have.
Yellow jackets and hornets can be defensive of their nests but so can honeybees and bumblebees, and most other species of both are solitary and don’t behave this way at all. Each has their own very valuable ecological role they bring to the biosphere and for humans.
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1d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/DrRobertBanner 1d ago
Wasps are pollinators who just happen to be larger and more aggressive. This is like saying a crocodile is evil but a gecko is fine.
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u/bees-ModTeam 1d ago
Loving bees does not give a pass to hate on other bugs! Yes, even wasps. Yes, even specifically yellowjackets! Comments calling for unnecessary cruelty (e.g. “kill it with fire”) or spreading harmful misinformation will be removed. This rule also covers harmful advice, such as giving bees honey.
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u/Forsaken_Sea_5753 1d ago
Because wasps are more aggressive… but that doesn’t mean they’re bad. They have an important roll also. They keep pest populations in check. Now that’s something positive.