Wasps were actually the ancestors of bees.
There are nearly 20,000 known species of bees in general, only seven species are recognized as honey bees, though there are a total of 44 subspecies in that group.
Honey bees (which, btw, are not native to North America, they were introduced by European settlers, in fact, the Native Americans called them 'white man's flies') are like fuzzy little flying kittens. That sting. Then die. Unable to pull their barbed stinger out. Leaving stinger AND part of it's abdomen AND it's digestive tract AND muscles AND nerves in you. :| (Honey bees are the only species of bee to die after stinging. Um, yes, kinda like bee seppuku.)
I made one several years ago. The sound and movement drove my cat crazy.