The honey bee (above) has a hairy body compared to the wasp (below). Pollen is the only source of protein for honey bees and their hairy bodies are an adaptation to pollen grain collection. Another major difference is that a honey bee is able to sting only one time and dies soon after. The honey bee stinger has small hooks that cause the stinger to remain imbedded in the victim. The sting apparatus is pulled from the bee's body when she moves away causing massive abdominal rupture and death. A wasp has a smooth stinger and may sting many times.
The bumblebee (below) also uses pollen as a source of protein and too has a very hairy body. She is different from the honey bee in having a more square-shaped body that is generally more hairy than the honey bee. Bumblebees come in many colors so the ones in your area may not look like the one shown here. Like the wasp the bumblebee is able to sting many times. The bees, ants and wasps belong to the order Hymenoptera and are distinguished from other orders such that they have two pairs of clear wings.
Sometimes a fly (below) is confused with a bee. Flies have only one pair of wings.
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