• ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de
    1·
    2 months ago

    Unintentionally pressed my elbow into a hive if red paper wasps.

    STRAIGHT FUCKING FIRE 🔥🔥🔥. Don’t recommend it. 3\10.

  • Buddahriffic@lemmy.world
    1·
    2 months ago

    In my experience, the paper wasp description applies to the yellow jackets. They are fairly common around outdoor eating areas around here, especially near the garbage cans. I find they mostly just check out the food, though they will check you out, too, and will sometimes get right into your face, but I’ve found a good way of reclaiming your space is to slowly push them away. You probably won’t even make contact with them while you do so because they react fast.

    Though I’ve also noticed that they (and bugs in general) are more interested in some people over others and I’m lucky to be on the low interest to bugs side of the spectrum.

  • bearboiblake [he/him]@pawb.socialEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    Honey bees don’t actually “need help the most”, they’re widely kept for honey production. Solitary wasps (of which there are many species) are much more endangered. Not yellowjackets, though, fuck those guys.

  • Sludgehammer@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    Honey Bee

    is the bee that needs help the most

    I’d argue the opposite. There are thousands species of solitary native bees in small niches that need help way more. By contrast honey bees are either livestock or feral livestock that are competing with the native bees.

    • fireweed@lemmy.world
      1·
      2 months ago

      You can (very, very carefully!) pet the top of their thorax when they’re not flying, such as when preoccupied with feeding at a flower, although as TheTechnician27 outlined, it’s probably not good for them. Better is if you can find one that’s struggling to fly (semi-common this time of year, when things are still warming up) and then you can warm the little guy in your hands if they’re cold or chauffeur them from flower to flower if they’re hungry. Often this will help them regain the strength to keep flying, but sometimes they never do; I assume in these cases they’re dying, but at least I gave them some hospice care. It’s very strange to deposit a struggling bee on a flower, watch it feed, and then see it wiggle its little feet in the air like it’s calling the magic carpet back for another lift.