How to tell bee vs wasp?

How to tell bee vs wasp involves looking at physical appearance, behavior, and nesting habits, as they are different insects with distinct characteristics. Physical appearance differences include bees being generally fuzzy, round, and hairy with pollen carrying hairs on legs, as they are pollinators that collect pollen, and they have robust, fuzzy bodies, while wasps are generally smooth, shiny, slender with narrow waist between thorax and abdomen, and have little hair, with bright yellow and black markings that are more distinct. Behavior differences include bees being docile, focused on foraging for nectar and pollen from flowers, and rarely aggressive unless defending hive, with honeybees able to sting only once then die, while wasps are more predatory, hunting caterpillars and other insects to feed larvae, and are more defensive and can sting multiple times, with social wasps like yellow jackets being more aggressive around food and nests. Nesting differences include bees building nests with wax cells for honeybees, or underground burrows for bumblebees, while wasps build papery nests from chewed wood pulp, often umbrella shaped for paper wasps or enclosed for yellow jackets. Flight patterns differ, bees have slower, buzzing flight from flower to flower, wasps have faster, more darting flight. So to tell bee vs wasp, look for fuzziness and pollen vs smooth and slender waist, docile foraging vs predatory and aggressive defense.