Bees, ants and wasps are all closely related and belong to the aculeates group. All speciesA group of similar organisms that can breed and exchange genes. More in this group have four wings (although a few ants are wingless), a narrow waist and a modified ovipositor that can sting as well as lay eggs.
Bumblebees, honeybees, ants and some speciesA group of similar organisms that can breed and exchange genes. More of wasp live in colonies and exhibit complex social behaviour. Colonies contain queens that lay eggs, sterile female workers that look after the colony and male drones that mate with the queen. However, solitary bees and some wasps build individual nests and work alone.
Bees, ants and wasps are among the most beneficial insects to humans. Bees and some speciesA group of similar organisms that can breed and exchange genes. More of wasp are crucial pollinators. Wasps are important pest controllers as they feed on the larvae of other insects. And ants improve soil heath because they move organic matter as they forage and tunnel.
Bees, ants and wasps are found in a wide range of habitatsThe natural environment in which an animal, plant or other organism lives. More across Devon as different speciesA group of similar organisms that can breed and exchange genes. More have adapted to live in different conditions. However, all three groups generally need:
Nesting and hibernation sites: Bees, ants and wasps need a wide range of warm, sheltered places to nest in summer and hibernate in winter. Wasps usually make their nests from wood they’ve chewed, building the nests in trees, lofts, sheds and underground. Bumblebees nest underground or in dense vegetation. Solitary bees nest in holes in wood, hollow stems, walls or tunnels they dig into loose soil. Ants build their nests in soil.
Food: Bees mainly eat nectar and pollen. Different flower shapes, scents and colours attract different speciesA group of similar organisms that can breed and exchange genes. More at different times of year, starting in spring when the queens emerge from hibernation and lasting until late autumn or early winter.
Ants and wasps are scavengers and predators and feed on a wide range of plant material and other insects.
Connected habitatThe natural environment in which an animal, plant or other organism lives. More mosaics: As bees, ants and wasps have different needs at different times of year, they depend on a network of diverse habitatsThe natural environment in which an animal, plant or other organism lives. More that provide a variety of food sources.
Devon’s populations
To add – There are 250 speciesA group of similar organisms that can breed and exchange genes. More of bee in the UK, xx in Devon. There are xxx speciesA group of similar organisms that can breed and exchange genes. More of ants in the UK…. There are 9,000 speciesA group of similar organisms that can breed and exchange genes. More of wasp in the UK, .xxx in Devon.
Eight ants, 13 wasps and 31 bees are listed as Devon SpeciesA group of similar organisms that can breed and exchange genes. More of Conservation Concern. Of these, eight bees, one ant and one wasp are Focus SpeciesA group of similar organisms that can breed and exchange genes. More. The six-banded nomad bee, broad-faced bumblebee and narrow-headed ant are Devon Special SpeciesLorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing..
Note: Bees, ants and wasps are in the order of insects known as Hymenoptera. This order also includes sawflies, gall wasps and parasitic wasps. These speciesA group of similar organisms that can breed and exchange genes. More are not discussed in the LNRS as there are no recording schemes for them (although a sawfly recording scheme is being developed). However, many are parasitic and so conserving their host speciesA group of similar organisms that can breed and exchange genes. More should also benefit them.
See Find out more below for where to find detailed speciesA group of similar organisms that can breed and exchange genes. More records.