Bees -- I noticed the bees are eating food I put out for dog/cat -- what else could I put out?

Question

I noticed the bees eating the turkey jerkey for the dog and the wet food I put out for the cats. Is there some other food I could put out for the bees? They seem to be really hungry. I live in the forest with lots of oak, pine and madrone trees.

Answer 1

Try some sugar water with just a little salt in it.

Answer 2

Those aren't bees.  They are yellow jacket wasps.  They like sweet AND meat.  They kill bees for the nectar they carry.  They live in colonies the way bees do, but they don't make honey.  They can both bite and sting.

I wouldn't encourage them, but if they don't bother you, leave them alone.  

My friend eats them as they hover around his barbecue plate.  Grabs 'em out of the air and pops 'em in his mouth.  Last time, one stung him twice in the mouth.  That was annoying!