Blue-Banded Bee vs Cattle Sucking Louse

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Blue-Banded Bee Cattle Sucking Louse
Scientific Name Amegilla cingulata Linognathus vituli
Order Hymenoptera Phthiraptera
Family Apidae Linognathidae
Size 10-12 mm 1.5-2.5 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Nectar Feeders Blood Feeders
Regions Australia, Southeast Asia, India Worldwide
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

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.

Cattle Sucking Louse

A blood-sucking louse found on calves and young cattle worldwide. It has a distinctive long narrow head adapted for piercing skin.

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Did You Know?

Heavy infestations on calves can cause severe anemia and even death in young animals.