FRIEND OR FOE?  HONEY BEES OR HORNETS

Often times we receive calls from concerned citizens who witness a nest or swarm, but aren't entirely certain if what they're looking at are honey bees.  Apis mellifera is our target species and can be found in the top left of the photo.  Since 2019 and the introduction of "Murder Hornet" to the vernacular, everyone instinctively assumes the large bees they're looking at are the notorious killers.  They have not, however, been spotted in this area and are routinely mistaken for the Cicada Killer or Bald faced hornets.  We wanted to include this guide for our friends as a reference.