Many different species of stinging pests are often mistaken for honey bees, or casually referred to as "bees". Being able to distinguish honey bees from wasps or other bee species it important to make appropriate decision about potential control. It should be noted that it is illegal to kill honey bee hives or colonies in North and South Carolina. Make identification extremely important. Generally, wasps tend to be more slender and with fewer hairs on their body than bees. Wasps also tend to feed on other insects, while bees ted to primary feed on floral sources (pollen and nectar). Stinging insects in the eastern Carolinas include yellow jackets, paper wasps, carpenter bees, cicada killers, and European hornets.