bee-hawking

bee-hawking
 n.— «Wasps, and hornets in particular, are major predators of bees and the largest ones can make even the giant bees look puny. Some invade hives and steal grubs, while others swoop in and pluck loitering bees from the surface of the colony—a technique known as “bee-hawking.” The giant bees are particularly vulnerable to this strategy because their nests are open and typically covered in a blanket of workers. They might seem easy pickings for a hungry hornet, but the workers have a trick up their abdomens.» —“Giant bees do Mexican waves to ward off wasps” by Ed Yong Not Exactly Rocket Science (United Kingdom) Sept. 10, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)