Australian Painted Lady vs Gold-fringed Mason Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Australian Painted Lady Gold-fringed Mason Bee
Scientific Name Vanessa kershawi Osmia aurulenta
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Nymphalidae Megachilidae
Size 4-5 cm wingspan 9-12 mm
Habitat Underground Beaches & Coastal
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Australia, New Zealand Western Europe, Central Europe, Southern Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Australian Painted Lady

An orange, black, and white butterfly closely related to the cosmopolitan painted lady. It undertakes seasonal migrations across southeastern Australia.

💡

Did You Know?

Millions migrate northward in autumn in one of Australia's most impressive insect movements.

Gold-fringed Mason Bee

A distinctive solitary bee that nests inside empty snail shells on warm hillsides. Females cover the shell with grass and debris for camouflage after laying eggs.

💡

Did You Know?

It exclusively nests in snail shells, carefully selecting ones of the right size for its brood.