Ashy Mining Bee vs African Mud Dauber
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Ashy Mining Bee | African Mud Dauber |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Andrena cineraria | Sceliphron spirifex |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Andrenidae | Sphecidae |
| Size | 10-14 mm | 20-28 mm |
| Habitat | Underground | Underground |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | Western Europe, Central Europe, Northern Europe | Throughout Africa |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Ashy Mining Bee
A striking black and grey solitary bee with silvery-white hair bands on its thorax. It nests in compacted soil and is one of the first bees to appear in spring.
Did You Know?
Large aggregations of hundreds of nest holes can appear suddenly on garden lawns in April.
African Mud Dauber
A slender black and yellow wasp with an extremely narrow petiole waist. It constructs mud nests on walls and ceilings, provisioning them with paralyzed spiders.
Did You Know?
A single mud nest cell may contain up to 25 paralyzed spiders stacked together as food for one developing larva.