I am aware that the bee population is declining severely in the U.S. I also noticed that department stores like Target are gearing up the the summer season with decorative insect killers like hanging wasp catches. I don't think this is a good idea to buy and use these if the remaining bees (which as any citizen should know are exteremly important for not only our own back yard pollinating but for the agricultural industry at large) will also be attracted and killed. The catch works like this. There is a large glass jar that hangs. Inside the jar one put sugar water. The sweet juice loving insect flies in and can't get out. Would honey bees also go for sweet liquids or are they only attracted to flowers? Do you know this for sure? I don't want inaccurate info when writing to the city paper about not using things like these.
DO "wasp Catches" (jars filled with sweet liquid that trap %26amp; kill insects) also attract and kill honey bees?
Honey bees are attracted to sweet liquids, but not to nearly the same extent as yellowjacket wasps.
In addition, any source utilized by yellowjackets would be avoided by honeybees. Yellowjackets don't tend to be very understanding about sharing their finds. Once you've caught a few yellowjackets, the honeybees will stay away, and the yellowjackets will be drawn in even more.
And, this is only anecdotal, but I have found that if I put an alcohol volatile in the mixture, wasps come in like crazy, but honeybees stay away. A few drops of Schnapps, Amaretto, or rum seems to work amazingly well.
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