Buffish Mining Bee vs Odorous House Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Buffish Mining Bee Odorous House Ant
Scientific Name Andrena nigroaenea Tapinoma sessile
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Andrenidae Formicidae
Size 12-15 mm 2.5-3 mm
Habitat Underground Indoors
Diet Fruit Feeders Omnivores
Regions Europe, North Africa North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Buffish Mining Bee

A large mining bee with a dark metallic body and buff-brown thoracic fur. It is one of the main hosts of the early-flying nomada cuckoo bees.

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Did You Know?

It sometimes nests in dense aggregations of hundreds of burrows per square meter, creating a moonscape appearance on lawns.

Odorous House Ant

A small dark brown ant that emits a distinctive rotten coconut smell when crushed. It is one of the most common household pest ants in North America.

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Did You Know?

The smell produced when crushed is caused by methyl ketones, the same compounds found in blue cheese.