Most bees have hairy bodies and legs which are ideal for collecting pollen. The Honey Bee and all the Bumblebees are social, living in colonies with a single queen. All other bees are solitary, each female creating its own nest, although sometimes there will be lots in close proximity. There are about 250 British species, although many are in decline due to changing farming practices and habitat loss.
Wasps
Everyone knows the Common Wasp, although there are several other, very similar social wasps, as they can be a nuisance when you are eating and drinking outdoors in the summer. Social wasps, including the Hornet, live as a colony in a nest with a single Queen. Most wasps though, are solitary, meaning that each female has her own nest in which to lay her eggs. Digger wasps have nests in the ground and potter wasps have nests which are usually above ground, sometimes in brickwork mortar. Many solitary wasps have similar black and yellow markings and their bodies are usually slimmer than the social wasps.
Ichneumons
There are over 2500 species in Britain, many of which can only be distinguished by experts. However, these three are fairly common so you might come across them. Ichneumons are parasitoids, and most of the females use their long ovipositors to lay their eggs in the caterpillars of butterflies and moths. The ovipositor may look fearsome but they do not sting.
Sawflies
There are over 400 British species but they are mostly difficult to identify. These are two that you might see that are fairly easy. They lay their eggs in plant tissue.