what is up with bees? do they know each other?

Question

Bees1)
on my top deck there was one bee for a while, started out with this little gray stick thing attached to the wood
eventually it started projecting out as little honey comb looking thing i guess
so a 2nd bee was there
as it grew, a 3rd
and now, a 4th
Do they know each other or do they just fly around until they find one and join in on building it?
if so, what possesses one bee to start building while the rest just join in on it?
did their bee hives suck, so they gave up and joined another?
or were they just look for others and then just make one if they can't find one?


bees2)
these bees are on my wooden gate door and tweek me out
their hive is more of a ball with small opening below
they look the same, but maybe a tiny bit bigger
i did not even see it begin which makes me think it was created much faster
I dont see them outside of it while bees1) sleep around outside theirs

how do they feel about each other, Hate, ignore or too busy with their own lives

do they let anyB join

Answer 1

The one sounds like paper wasps (I agree with above that they don't sound like bees):
http://www.saferbrand.com/media/paper_wasp_nest.jpg

The other like mud wasp:
http://www.cirrusimage.com/Hymenoptera/wasp_mud_pot_small.jpg

The links are to photos of the nests. You can search on either name and find out their information.

Answer 2

They are from the same "mother hive" they are looking to expand their territory. It sounds to me that you have just watched wasps build a nest not actual bees. Bees usually build hives in secluded places where as wasps build smaller nests in more conspicuous places. Wasps are different than bees, they keep their stinger where as bees loose theirs along with their innards and die soon after stinging.