Of the thousands of bee species in the United States, just a few are common on Long Island, in New York City, in Westchester, and Rockland Counties. Bees are commercially valuable and an important part of our ecosystem, but in the wrong place at the wrong time, they can become a pest.
Honey Bees: These busy half-inch long insects have fuzzy dark yellow and black striped bodies and a have a barbed stinger that can continue pumping venom even after the bee has died.
Bumble Bees: These large bees range can reach an inch and a half in size and are covered by downy pale yellow and black hair.
Carpenter Bees: Less fuzzy than bumble bees, these bees are noted for their ability to tunnel into wood structures to build their nests.