Following up to Rusty Hinge 2 :

The message
from Tim C. contains these words:

Are you sure it was a wasp? They usually take prey back to the nest.
(I've never heard of them taking a bee, either.)

Could it have been a hornet? I do know the difference but I can't be
certain what it was now - last Summer's along time for my poor head.

Dunno, Hornets are rather like chubby wasp-shaped
ochre/cinnamon-coloured jumbo jets, and have a very deep masculine drone
as they fly. I'd have expected them to take prey back to the nest, too.

Maybe it had low blood-sugar and needed fix.
It was interesting to see how it held the bee in its front legs and
manipulated it.

Some hoverflies look very beelike and waspish, and they do take other
flying insects.

Nope, definitely a bee victim. I really can't remember if it was a wasp of
hornet that did the eating.
--
Tim C.