For some people, anything with a stinger that flies and is yellow and black might as well be called a "bee," but there's a big difference between wasps, yellow-jackets, and honeybees. There's usually no reason to kill a honeybee, so learn the difference between them to deal with pests responsibly.


Wasps and yellow-jackets are pests with painful stings, usually skinnier, smoother in body and more angular than a honeybee, with small and papery nests. While they help in some ways with insect control, wasps contribute nothing to pollination and–while it may be better to just shoo them out a window–are less important and endangered than honeybees. It's usually ok to swat them occasionally.
Honeybee populations are endangered in many areas and colonies are struggling to survive. Usually rounded, hairy, and somewhat smaller than wasps, and relatively harmless, honeybees are an essential part of the ecosystem, providing important agricultural pollination. There's no reason to kill a honeybee.
Try to get a look at the nest. Honey bees build their nests out of wax, in a honeycomb formation, whereas other stinging insects tend to construct their nests out of wood fiber or mud.;
, If a bee is trapped inside, just open the windows to let them escape . Wait for the bee to pick up the scents and wind currents from outside and find its way back out of your house. If you can, shut the door to the room that the bee is in, trapping it there and go away for an hour or two, giving it plenty of time to find its way out.


The bee doesn't want to stay in your house and terrorize you. Your house is flower-free and useless to the bee to be inside. Wait for it to leave. When coming back into the room, be cautious until you are certain that the bee has gone.
 If you have a small lidded see-through container, use this to try to trap the bee and release it safely outside. It's always preferable to coax a bee away, as opposed to swatting it.


If you're allergic to bees, it is recommended that you get someone else to do this, or leave the area immediately. If you really have no choice, do this with the utmost care and wear protective gloves and have your epipen easily accessible.
 Wait until the bee is sitting on a wall or other solid surface and has a chance to calm down some. It's pretty difficult to snatch a quick bee out of the air with a jar, and you might anger it or accidentally kill it otherwise.


Approach carefully and quickly cup the container over the bee. Wait until the bee flies to the end of the container and quickly snap the lid on, or slide a piece of paper underneath the lip of the container to trap it inside.
 Take the bee outside and set it free. Open the lid, back off quickly and wait for it to fly out. Retrieve the container and you're done.
 If you really need to kill the bee for some reason, place the container in the freezer overnight and let the bee freeze. There's little reason to do this, but it's the most humane method and the simplest.
Identify the bee first.
Open the windows and doors.
Consider whether it's possible to trap the bee.
Wait for the bee to land and trap it.
Release the bee.
Free the bee if you must.
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