Buzzing about bees: a guide to species identification

Written by Avon Pest ControlFirst published 15 April 2025Updated 9 November 2026

Britain has around 270 species of bee, and most of them never cause anyone a problem. When bees do turn up somewhere awkward, knowing which kind they are tells you what to do next, which is very often nothing at all.

The short version

• Honeybees live in large, permanent colonies. A swarm or a colony in a building needs a beekeeper or specialist.
• Bumblebees nest in small colonies that die off by late summer, and are best left where possible.
• Solitary bees, including mason and mining bees, do not form colonies and almost never sting.

Common bee species in the UK

Honeybees (Apis mellifera)

• Appearance: slim and fairly small, golden-brown to dark brown, with short fine hair.
• Nests: large colonies of thousands of bees, in managed hives or wild in hollow trees, chimneys and wall cavities.
• Behaviour: calm when foraging, but they will defend the colony. A honeybee can sting only once.
• Worth knowing: in late spring and early summer colonies swarm, and a cluster of thousands of bees may hang from a branch or fence for a few hours or days. A swarm is usually calm, and a local beekeeper will often collect it. The British Beekeepers Association can help you find one.

Bumblebees (Bombus species)

• Appearance: large, round and furry, usually black and yellow, some with a white or orange tail.
• Nests: small colonies, typically fifty to a few hundred bees, in old rodent holes, compost heaps, under sheds and in bird boxes.
• Behaviour: docile, and sting only if handled or if the nest is disturbed.
• Worth knowing: the colony is annual and dies off by late summer. Our guide to bumblebee nests covers when one needs dealing with.

Solitary bees (many species)

• Appearance: varied, generally smaller and less hairy than bumblebees. Some are easily mistaken for flies or small wasps.
• Nests: each female makes her own nest, in soil, hollow stems, old walls or wood. Mining bees leave small volcano-shaped mounds on lawns in spring.
• Behaviour: no queen, no workers and no colony to defend, so stings are very rare.
• Worth knowing: many nest close together, so a bank or lawn can look busy, but each bee is on her own.

Mason bees (Osmia species)

• Appearance: small to medium, often reddish-brown or ginger. The red mason bee is the one most often seen on walls.
• Nests: existing holes in brickwork, soft or crumbling mortar, and hollow stems. They seal each nest with mud.
• Behaviour: solitary and very rarely sting.
• Worth knowing: they mostly use holes that are already there. Where a wall is badly affected, the mortar was usually soft already, and repointing is the lasting fix.

Bee, wasp or hoverfly?

Wasps are smooth and shiny with bright yellow and black bands and a narrow waist. Bees are hairier and rounder. Hoverflies often have wasp-like stripes but hover in one place, have short antennae and cannot sting. If you are unsure, a clear photo usually settles it.

The role of bees in the ecosystem

Bees pollinate a large share of the plants in gardens, the countryside and on farms, from fruit trees and soft fruit to wildflowers. Honeybees and bumblebees matter for crops, and solitary bees do a great deal of the wildflower pollination. Several species have declined, which is why we leave or relocate bees wherever that is practical.

When to call us

Most bees need nothing done. It is worth a call if a honeybee colony has moved into a chimney, wall or roof, if a nest is beside a doorway someone has to use, or if someone in the household is allergic to stings. Send us a photo and we will tell you what the bees are and what, if anything, needs to happen.

Bee nests and swarms → Bumblebee nests →