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What's the difference between bees and wasps?

Wasps -- the Vespidae:

What I am calling wasps (Vespidae) are what you might also call hornets or yellow jackets. Mostly yellow and black (though a very common one, Polistes, is yellow-brown) you know these as insects to avoid. If you are alergic to bee and wasp venom, then do avoid them. Remember that individual wasps can sting you multiple times. Honey bees cannot sice they loose their stinger when they sting you. Both wasps and bees leave a chemical :sting me" sign attached to you when y0ou get stung. Thus it is best not to be around bees and wasps for a while if you do get stung. Unlike bees ( the ones you will see anyway) wasps are looking for nectar for themselves and "meat" for their kids (well usually for their siblings since the ones you will see are not reproducing). The meat often comes in the form of caterpillars. Watching a wasp catch and subdue a caterpillar will be a real treat and take patient and details watching. They are also attracted to strong odors like perfume and sodas and rotting fruit.

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