There are about 4,000 bee species in the U.S, but many other insects sport their telltale patterns. Here’s how to spot some of these clever mimics.
There are about 4,000 bee species in the U.S, but many other insects sport their telltale patterns. Here’s how to spot some of these clever mimics.
A Bee, or Not a Bee?
ByCara GiaimoAug. 14, 2020
A Bee, or Not a Bee?
A Bee, or Not a Bee?
There are about 4,000 bee species in the U.S, but many other insects sport their telltale patterns. Here’s how to spot some of these clever mimics →
A Bee, or Not a Bee?
Does your visitor have short, stubby antennae, and extra-bulbous eyes?
A Bee, or Not a Bee?
It might be a hoverfly.
They’re important pollinators, just like bees — and their larvae eat aphids, which is a plus for gardeners.
A Bee, or Not a Bee?
Perhaps your guest has a fuzzy yellow head, and long legs that are covered in spines.
A Bee, or Not a Bee?
You may be looking at a robber fly.
That hair tuft is called a “mystax,” from the Greek word for moustache. And those impressive legs help them catch dragonflies, beetles and other prey.
A Bee, or Not a Bee?
Has your picnic been interrupted by brightly-colored, mostly bald and very buzzy insects?
A Bee, or Not a Bee?
Careful! They could be German yellowjackets.
They’re seeking out sugary foods for themselves, and protein for their larvae. If you let them forage in peace, they probably won’t sting you.
A Bee, or Not a Bee?
Is a shiny, mostly black insect with a few yellow stripes lurking in your flowers?
A Bee, or Not a Bee?
That might be a beewolf on the hunt.
Like wolves in bees’ clothing, these wasps paralyze honeybees, cover them in pollen, and leave them for their young to devour.
A Bee, or Not a Bee?
That bulky insect, sipping on a flower with its curly proboscis — it sure looks like a bumblebee if you squint.
A Bee, or Not a Bee?
It may be a snowberry clearwing moth.
People disagree on what this moth most resembles — it’s known as the bumblebee moth, the hummingbird moth or even the flying lobster.
Looking for more bug facts? Learn more about thewasps in your yard.