Banded General Soldier Fly vs Indian Honey Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Banded General Soldier Fly Indian Honey Bee
Scientific Name Stratiomys potamida Apis cerana indica
Order Diptera Hymenoptera
Family Stratiomyidae Apidae
Size 12-16 mm 10-13 mm
Habitat Ponds & Lakes Woodlands
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Banded General Soldier Fly

A large, boldly marked soldier fly with a broad flat abdomen bearing yellow lateral markings. Its aquatic larvae are elongate and can breathe through a posterior spiracle at the water surface.

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Did You Know?

Larvae can survive in heavily polluted water where most other aquatic insects cannot live.

Indian Honey Bee

A small, dark-banded honey bee native to the Indian subcontinent and the primary managed bee species in traditional Indian beekeeping. It builds multiple-comb nests in enclosed cavities and is well-adapted to tropical conditions.

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Did You Know?

Indian honey bees can thermoregulate their hive by fanning their wings and have a unique defense called 'heat balling' where they suffocate hornet intruders.