Honeybees, I am not concerned about at all. I am often in very close proximity to them in the garden, without any problem. They are not aggressive, and don't know what it is like to sting, because if they do, they are dead. They only sting as a last resort, so I don't try to grab any.
Bumblebees, once again, they aren't aggressive, although in the spring, I find them sometimes trying to land on me, their tongue sticking out, often at the Harris Creek slide area. But, once again, they aren't interested in stinging, and so, they aren't really any problem either, although I do tend to get a bit nervous when one starts walking around the inside of my glasses!
Sweat bees, however, those tiny things can be quite annoying, constantly landing on me for my sweat. If they get trapped when I bend my legs with one on me behind one of my knees, or lower my arms with one on one of my armpits, then I get stung.
It hurts a bit, but not as bad any of the other stinging insects (perhaps more like ant stings), and raises a small welt. Often, it is usually just one around me that continuously hounds me, so if I successfully crush it, then I am left alone until another one comes along.
Paper wasps, those black and yellow long, skinny ones, aren't too much of a problem, although when in larger numbers, can make me steer clear of certain areas in case i get stung by accidentally touching one. Their sting feels like being pricked by a cactus deeply, and burns, but not as bad as other hornets. They aren't that aggressive, and I can be within a few feet of their nest, which is an open nest, and they ignore me. My dad removes a nest, and instead of being stung by them, it just buzzes around, looking for the nest.
Bald-faced hornets are large, sometimes I call them "white-jackets", and they often aren't much of a problem, although I have to keep a safe distance from their nest, because they can be extremely aggressive. But, this year, at my Crescent Road pond, they seemed to be in larger numbers there, and kept on trying to land on me, just like yellowjackets!
I got stung in my right hand, but within a half hour or so, the "doughnut welt" and the pain was gone, and I would have never guessed I had ever been stung!
Finally, the worst beasts of all, the yellowjackets!!!!
Those things, in the late summer, start to change their behaviour, and I typically see hardly anything most of the season, then overnight they are everywhere, and trying to land on me!!!
Being wasps/hornets, they can sting repeatedly, and so know what it is like to sting, and therefore, are more apt to sting! When they sting, the fire is quite concentrated, and the pain seems to return over and over again for quite some time!
Then, the sting area itches for days afterwards!
Those things will attack quite readily if you are anywhere near their nest!
When biking, I saw one hit into me, and instead of just flying away, it held onto my clothing, and proceeded to repeatedly sting it several times before finally flying away!
I was glad that my clothing wasn't touching my skin there!
