noun
General term for stinging insects of the order Hymenoptera, including bees, wasps, and hornets. Context usually clarifies the specific insect.
庭に蜂の巣ができた。
A beehive (or wasp nest) has formed in the garden.
蜂に刺されないように気をつけて。
Be careful not to get stung by a bee/wasp.
The historical derivation is uncertain; the kanji 蜂 is conventionally associated with stinging insects.