What Bees Be These?

I don’t have a picture because these guys won’t land! Somewhere under a small pine-like tree, little bees (smaller than honey bees) keep flying in and out from a nest in the ground. My wife was stung twice (simultaneously) while doing some yard work nearby.

Could these be hornets? I don’t know what hornets look like, and the pictures I’ve seen do not give me a feel for actual size. There is no tell-tale, typical hornet’s nest. But, what else could they be? [I should add it is too early for yellow jackets. They’re not in vogue yet! :wink: ]

I would recommend posting where you are since there’s a lot of insects out there.

Do any of these look familiar?

[QUOTE=groman]
I would recommend posting where you are since there’s a lot of insects out there.
[/QUOTE]

Didn’t you catch his location? They’re obviously Space Bees…

[QUOTE=Jinx]
I don’t have a picture because these guys won’t land! Somewhere under a small pine-like tree, little bees (smaller than honey bees) keep flying in and out from a nest in the ground. My wife was stung twice (simultaneously) while doing some yard work nearby.

Could these be hornets? I don’t know what hornets look like, and the pictures I’ve seen do not give me a feel for actual size. There is no tell-tale, typical hornet’s nest. But, what else could they be? [I should add it is too early for yellow jackets. They’re not in vogue yet! :wink: ]
[/QUOTE]

I’d put my money on yellow jackets, actually. They are around all summer. They do good by eating other insects and keep to themselves, then in the late summer get a taste for sugar and become pests.
Until the autumn they are mild mannered and don’t bug you - UNLESS you get too close to their nest, which is often in the ground.

Lots more info here.