Wasps, belonging to the order Hymenoptera alongside bees, are predatory insects that actively pursue other arthropods, including bees. This interaction is a natural and long-standing part of the insect world’s predator-prey dynamics. This behavior is not random aggression but a systematic means of gathering resources necessary for the growth and survival of their colony or offspring.
Why Wasps Target Bees
The motivation for a wasp to target a bee is a strict nutritional requirement within the wasp colony. Adult wasps primarily sustain themselves on high-energy liquid carbohydrates, such as plant nectar, fruit juices, or the sweet secretions produced by their own larvae. This sugar-based diet provides the necessary fuel for flight and foraging activities. The developing young within the nest, however, require a diet rich in protein to grow and mature. Bees, being a relatively large and protein-dense insect, become a highly sought-after food source. A forager wasp will capture a bee and process it into a manageable protein paste or pellet to feed the larvae back at the nest. This exchange is reciprocal, as the larvae reward the attending adult with a sugary droplet of saliva.
Common Wasp Predators of Bees
Wasp species that prey on bees can be broadly divided into social and solitary groups, each employing different hunting strategies.
Social wasps, such as yellow jackets (Vespula species) and hornets (Vespa species), are generalist predators that target honey bees and other insects, particularly when their colonies reach peak population in late summer. The European Hornet (Vespa crabro) is a common example that preys on foraging bees, often attacking them at the hive entrance or while visiting flowers.
Solitary wasps, like the Beewolves (Philanthus species), are highly specialized. Female Beewolves specifically hunt bees to provision their underground nests, targeting honey bees or specializing in native solitary bees. These wasps are sometimes called “bee-killers” because their entire reproductive cycle revolves around the capture and sequestration of bees. Paper wasps (Polistes species) also opportunistically attack foraging bees to acquire protein for their brood.
The Mechanics of the Hunt
The precise mechanics of the hunt depend on the wasp species, but the process often begins with a rapid, targeted aerial ambush.
Social wasps, like hornets, may simply seize a bee mid-flight or at a flower, subduing it with a quick sting or powerful mandibles. The captured bee is then quickly dismembered, with the wasp using its jaws to remove the head, wings, and abdomen. The wasp retains the protein-rich thorax, which contains the flight muscles, and chews it into a compact, transportable pellet known as a “meatball.” This pellet is then flown back to the nest to be fed directly to the larvae.
Solitary wasps, such as the Beewolf, employ a more specialized technique. The female stings the bee precisely to inject a venom that causes neuromuscular paralysis. This process immobilizes the bee without killing it, ensuring the prey remains fresh until the wasp larva is ready to feed upon it. The paralyzed bee is then dragged or flown back to an underground burrow, where the wasp lays a single egg upon it, effectively creating a live food source for its emerging larva.
Ecological Influence on Bee Populations
Wasp predation is a natural selection pressure that functions as a form of ecological control on bee populations. For healthy, established honey bee colonies, wasp attacks typically result in the loss of only a small percentage of foraging bees, acting more as a persistent stressor than an existential threat. The pressure intensifies significantly in the late summer and early autumn when wasp populations peak and natural food sources begin to dwindle, driving them toward concentrated protein sources like bee colonies.
In response to sustained attacks, honey bees have developed impressive collective defense mechanisms. Asian honey bees, and to a lesser extent European honey bees, execute a behavior known as “heat balling” when a large hornet or wasp approaches the hive entrance. Dozens of worker bees swarm the predator, vibrating their flight muscles to rapidly increase the temperature within the ball of bees. This collective hyperthermia raises the temperature above the wasp’s thermal tolerance threshold, effectively overheating and killing the intruder while leaving the bees unharmed.