Bee Chafer vs Neon Cuckoo Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Bee Chafer Neon Cuckoo Bee
Scientific Name Trichius rosaceus Thyreus nitidulus
Order Coleoptera Hymenoptera
Family Scarabaeidae Apidae
Size 9-13mm 10-14 mm
Habitat Gardens Woodlands
Diet Pollen Feeders Pollen Feeders
Regions Europe Australia
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Bee Chafer

A furry bumblebee-mimicking flower beetle with yellow and black bands. Visits roses and other garden flowers.

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Did You Know?

So convincingly mimics a bumblebee that many people refuse to pick it up, believing it will sting.

Neon Cuckoo Bee

A stunning blue-spotted cleptoparasite that lays eggs in the nests of blue-banded bees. The cuckoo larva hatches first and consumes the host's pollen provisions.

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Did You Know?

Their brilliant blue spots are formed by dense patches of iridescent hairs that mimic the coloring of their host bees.