Bees, wasps and hoverflies
- Bees are basically hunting wasps which have switched from a predatory and carnivorous lifestyle to one which involves collecting pollen and nectar from flowers, or have evolved beyond that state to become cleptoparasites (cuckoos) of other bees. They take pollen back to the nest as food for larvae.
- Bees are generally hairy - the hairs help with collecting pollen. Some bees have barbed stingers that detach after use, leading to their death.
- Some wasps inject eggs into other insects, and others (gall wasps) inject eggs into plants. They eat flies, aphids, caterpillars and other invertebrates, making them an important insect-controlling predator. Many have smooth stingers that allow them to sting multiple times without dying. Some species are amazing architects, building hexagonal paper nests from chewed up wood.
- Some species of hoverflies look like wasps, bees or hornets. But they look different in flight, hovering almost stationary and then darting off very fast.
Find out more
- Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland, Steven Falk - a guide to all 275 species
- Steven Falk's - online identification guide
- Bees Wasps & Ants Recording Society - BWARS
- Hoverfly Recording Scheme
- Inaturalist - www.inaturalist.org
- All my photos on Inaturalist
- Thrive (Battersea Park) - horticulture therapy charity
- Friends of Battersea Park
- Trees of Battersea Park
Other points
- Photos taken with Samsung Galaxy S9 and S22 smartphones
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