African Giant Carpenter Bee vs Gum-Tree Pergid Sawfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute African Giant Carpenter Bee Gum-Tree Pergid Sawfly
Scientific Name Xylocopa flavorufa Perga polita
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Apidae Pergidae
Size 25-33 mm 14-20 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Wood Feeders Herbivores
Regions East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania) Southeastern Australia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

African Giant Carpenter Bee

One of Africa's largest bees, with females covered in tawny-orange fur and males in yellowish hair. It bores large nest tunnels into dead wood.

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Did You Know?

Their nesting tunnels can extend over 30 cm into solid wood and may be used by successive generations for years.

Gum-Tree Pergid Sawfly

A robust Australian sawfly with a dark, polished body. Its gregarious larvae cluster on eucalyptus branches and produce a strong eucalyptus odor when disturbed.

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Did You Know?

The powerful eucalyptus-oil smell released by disturbed larvae can be detected from several meters away and serves as a chemical defense.