All the buzz: When do wasps and bees start to die?

PITTSFORD, N.Y. (WROC) — Before those temperatures start to get a little bit too cold, plants use this time of year to soak up every last bit of sunshine and warmth before heading into the fall season. Now, the same line of thinking also applies to bees. They use this time of year to soak up every last bit of honey before those temperatures get too cold.

“Honey bees themselves are dependent on flowers, but they maintain a big population during the winter. They cluster in their hives but they need a lot of honey so they store a lot of honey to make it through the wintertime,” says Pat Bono, who is the owner and beekeeper of Seaway Trail Honey.

However, not all bees are like this. For example, wasps exhibit different behavior during the winter time.

“When we get a really cold winter in the fall and winter, they will all die except for the queens. The queens will hide under mulch somewhere or in a tree. But fortunately, they die,” Bono says.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is confusing honey bees and wasps.

“The main difference between honey bees and wasps is that honey bees don’t have bright yellow on their bodies,” says Bono. “A lot of people mistake honey bees for different types of wasps, let’s say that get into your house, your attic.”

Bono says the best thing you can do when you spot a bee or wasp is slowly move away and not swat your arms, as you do not know what kind you are up against.

“When you start swatting at any wasp or bee, it attracts their attention,” she says. “Whereas a honey bee, if they sting you, they will die. They only sting once because they have a barbed stinger. Wasps can sting you multiple times.”

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