Difference Between Bees and Flies

Bees vs Flies

Bees:

There are close to 20, 000 known bees found all around the world and they are flying insects related to wasps and ants. They are known for making honey, beewax and pollination.

Flies:

Flies are insects which use only a single pair of wings to fly  and their hind wings are reduced to halters that assist in flight stability. They blong to order Diptera and they are 1,000,000 species included in this order and some of them include horse-flies, hoverflies, and crane flies.

Flies are also important pollinators like bees. Houseflies also spread food-borne illnesses to humans. Flies can be annoyances especially in the summer and  in tropical countries where they can be seen in large numbers, buzzing and settling on you.  Flies are also known for maggots (larvae of flies), are used as fishing bait.

Houseflies are usually grey in colour and are about 4 t-8 mm long. Males are slightly smaller than females and the have less space between eyes than females.

Bees vs Flies

  • As you know bees sting, but flies do not.
  • Bees can be said to be closely related to ants and wasps whereas flies are not. Bees are known to make honey and store it. They are also known for their role in pollination. On the other hand, flies are only known to be attracted to honey and have no role in pollination. The bees are also known to produce beeswax that is used for many purposes.
  • While Bees thrive on the honey that they collect, the flies thrive on anything that they come across such as fluid, food particles and etc.
  • Scientists have also found out that there is difference in the sounds that the bees and the flies produce. It is said that the sounds of bees is a means of communication in the bee society. On the other hand, the sounds produced by flies are unknown.
  • Bees are cultivated for honey and other products. On the contrary, flies are not tolerated at all.
  • Another noticeable difference is that the bees have smaller eyes when compared to flies. Unlike the flies, the bees have larger antenna. The bees also have a tongue called as proboscis that helps them in sucking nectar from the flowers. While the flies have only two wings, the bees have four wings.

Summary

  • While Bees are normally black and yellow, flies are black. While the bees sting, the flies do not.
  • Bees are known to make honey and store it. They are also known for their role in pollination. On the other hand, flies are only known to be attracted to honey.
  • While Bees thrive on the honey that they collect, the flies thrive on anything that they come across.
  • Bees have smaller eyes when compared to those of the flies.
  • The bees have larger antenna compared to that of the flies.
  • The bees also have a tongue called proboscis that helps them in sucking nectar from the flowers.
  • While the flies have only two wings, the bees have four wings.