Black Swallowtail vs Teddy Bear Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Black Swallowtail Teddy Bear Bee
Scientific Name Papilio polyxenes Amegilla bombiformis
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Papilionidae Apidae
Size 69-84 mm wingspan 15-20 mm
Habitat Gardens Deserts & Drylands
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions North America Australia, Oceania
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Black Swallowtail

Black butterfly with yellow spot bands and blue hindwing patches; orange and black eyespot on each hindwing. Common in gardens across eastern North America.

💡

Did You Know?

Caterpillars extend a foul-smelling orange forked organ called an osmeterium when threatened.

Teddy Bear Bee

A plump, densely furred native Australian bee that closely resembles a bumblebee. Despite its cuddly appearance, it is a solitary bee that nests in burrows in soft sandstone or clay banks.

💡

Did You Know?

It uses buzz pollination, vibrating its flight muscles at a specific frequency to shake pollen from flowers that other bees cannot access.