Blue-Banded Bee vs Anthricinan Yellow-Faced Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Blue-Banded Bee Anthricinan Yellow-Faced Bee
Scientific Name Amegilla cingulata Hylaeus anthracinus
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Apidae Colletidae
Size 10-12 mm 6-8 mm
Habitat Farmland Beaches & Coastal
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Australia, Southeast Asia, India Oceania
Conservation Least Concern Endangered

Blue-Banded Bee

A striking Australian native bee with iridescent turquoise bands on its abdomen. They are important buzz pollinators of tomatoes and other crops.

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Did You Know?

They bang their heads against flowers at 350 times per second to vibrate pollen loose, a technique called buzz pollination.

Anthricinan Yellow-Faced Bee

One of seven Hawaiian yellow-faced bees federally listed as endangered. These small native bees are critical pollinators for Hawaiian coastal plants but face severe decline.

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Did You Know?

Hawaiian yellow-faced bees were the first bees in the United States to be placed on the federal endangered species list, in 2016.