Home » Dictionary » meat bee

meat bee

meat bee
 n.— «In Central Oregon, the two main problem species are the Western yellow jacket (Vespula pensylvanica) and the common yellow jacket (Vespula vulgaris). They are commonly referred to as “meat bees,” Bissell said. They aren’t in the same family as the honey bee, he said, and shouldn’t be confused with wasps that build paper, open-celled nests.» —“Yellow jackets” by Leon Pantenburg The Buletin (Bend, Oregon) Sept. 9, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

1 comment
  • This was a very common term growing up in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada in Central California. I was told it had to do with their carnivorous tendencies. They loved carcasses of dead animals or spoiled food. They had a nasty sting but could also bite if they were agitated enough.

Further reading

What Does That Have to Do With the Price Of…?

Responding to someone during a dispute with What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? is a way to deflect the comment or derail the discussion entirely. While the phrase the price of tea in China is the most common version...

Sock it to Me (episode #1557)

In the 15th century, the word respair meant “to have hope again.” Although this word fell out of use, it’s among dozens collected in a new book of soothing vocabulary for troubled times. Plus, baseball slang: If a batter...

Recent posts