Field Guide to Venomous and Medically Important Invertebrates ...

Bumble bees and carpenter bees- Although these bees are in different families, they strikingly
similar in general appearance. Bumble bees (Bombus spp.) are social and may occur in colonies
of 100-200 individuals, but colonies are usually much smaller in size. Normally passive, bumble
bees will sting in defense of their nest. By comparison, carpenter bees (Xylocopa spp.) are
solitary, but similar to bumble bee they will sting when provoked or contacted accidentally.
Stings from these bees are painful and have similar reactions to other bee stings, including
anaphylaxis. However, analphylaxis occurs with much less frequency than for honey bees.
Figure 102. Bumble bee (Bombus sp.). Photo: Robert G. Bellinger.
Figure 103. Carpenter bee (Xylocopa virginica). Photo: Jerry A. Payne.
Other bees
Many other species of bees from a variety of families are capable of stinging people. However,
the stings from these non-aggressive, solitary bee species typically are only mildly painful (i.e., a
―pinprick‖) and are of little consequence. Therefore, these groups are not addressed in detail
here.
Figure 104. A solitary bee (Family Andrenidae), Thailand. Photo: John Moore.
Figure 105. A solitary bee (Family Andrenidae), Thailand. Photo: John Moore.
Figure 106. A solitary bee (Family unknown). Photo: John Moore.
Wasps and hornets
Although all true wasps have the ability to sting people, most are solitary and normally use their
sting to kill or paralyze prey. However, paper wasps, yellow jackets and hornets (Family
Vespidae) are social wasps that aggressively defend their nests when disturbed or threatened.
Social wasps live in colonies of various sizes and their nests are constructed of ―paper‖