Less often, colonies can also nest in the open, for example attached to a tree branch, in a cave, or under a cliff.

Photo by Robin Pigot

Photo by Kurt Buzard

Photo by W. S. Robinson

Sometimes only the entrance of a nest is visible. In such cases, one can identify a colony by spotting honey bees flying into and out of the nest. In spring and summer, it’s also possible to see forager bees carrying pollen into the nest, a key sign of a colony's vitality.

Photo by Bernie Kohl

Photo by Robin Pigot

2. How to distinguish Western honey bees  from other similar insects

Honey bees can often be confused with other similar-looking insects, some of which also build colonies. 

Bumblebees can easily be distinguished from honey bees: generally they are larger and fuzzier; typically nest in the ground, not in high places; and fewer individuals (hundreds) are in their colonies than honey bees (tens of thousands).

Photo by Tony Hisgett

Photo by Steve Rogenstein

Wasps and hornets can also be easily confused for honey bees because they sometimes build nests in cavities too. However, their combs are made of paper, not wax. Additionally, their colonies are typically less populated (thousands) than honey bees' (tens of thousands).

Photo by Ocrdu

Photo by Kathy Jones

3. How to take pictures of honey bee nests

As soon as you identify a honey bee nest, keep a safe distance from the entrance. Although honey bees are generally not aggressive, especially if left undisturbed, occasionally they do act unexpectedly. So stay safe!

To help us validate the nests you enter into Honey Bee Watch, please follow these simple guidelines for taking and submitting pictures:

1. Frame the honey bee nest. Include its entrance. If the nest is too high up, difficult to reach, or you cannot photograph it, take the best picture you can and then point to or circle the nest's entrance by using an image editor.
2. Only upload clear pictures. Try to photograph at least one stationary bee. Stabilize the camera as best you can. Take photos with ample sunlight, ideally with the sun behind you.
3. Avoid shots that contain sensitive information, such as people's faces, license plates, logos, commercial advertisements, etc.
4. Avoid any features that could identify the location of the nest. In order to protect the exact location of nests registered with Honey Bee Watch, we mask their GPS coordinates. An additional precaution is to avoid identifying features in your photographs, such as landmarks and street signs.

Thanks for your effort and kind help.

The Honey Bee Watch Team