Читать книгу Beekeeping For Dummies - Howland Blackiston - Страница 69

Many people are quick to say they’ve been “stung by a bee,” but the chances of a honey bee stinging them are rather slim. Honey bees usually are gentle in nature, and it is rare for an individual to be randomly stung by a honey bee. Honey bees sting as a defensive behavior; they are most likely to sting around the hive or when disturbed while foraging on a flower.

Other stinging insects, especially some of the wasps, are the more likely culprits to sting someone. Most folks, however, don’t make the distinction between honey bees and wasps. They incorrectly lump all insects with stingers into the “bee” category. True bees are unique in that their bodies are covered with hair, and they use pollen and nectar from plants as their sole source of food (they’re not the ones raiding your hamburger at a picnic — those are likely to be yellow-jacket wasps). Here are some of the most common stinging insects.