Blue Horntail vs Green Metallic Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Blue Horntail Green Metallic Bee
Scientific Name Sirex juvencus Augochloropsis metallica
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Siricidae Halictidae
Size 12–30 mm 9-12 mm
Habitat Forests Grasslands
Diet Wood Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, North America, Asia Eastern North America
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Blue Horntail

A metallic blue-black horntail wasp found across the Northern Hemisphere. It breeds in recently dead or dying spruce and fir trees.

💡

Did You Know?

Adults sometimes emerge from milled lumber years later, boring clean round exit holes through flooring or walls.

Green Metallic Bee

A large, robustly built metallic green sweat bee common throughout eastern North America. It is a ground-nesting communal species often found in dense nesting aggregations.

💡

Did You Know?

Despite their jewel-like appearance, they are commonly overlooked because they are often mistaken for small green flies.