California Harvester Ant vs Horned Mason Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute California Harvester Ant Horned Mason Bee
Scientific Name Pogonomyrmex californicus Osmia cornuta
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Formicidae Megachilidae
Size 5-7 mm 12-15 mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Orchards
Diet Seed Feeders Fruit Feeders
Regions North America Europe, North Africa, Western Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

California Harvester Ant

A small harvester ant found in hot deserts of the American Southwest. Colonies are often founded by groups of cooperating queens.

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Did You Know?

Multiple unrelated queens can found a single colony together, then fight to the death until only one remains.

Horned Mason Bee

A robust spring-flying bee with distinctive horn-like projections on the female's face. It is widely used as a managed pollinator in European fruit orchards.

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Did You Know?

It is three times more efficient at pollinating almond flowers than the honeybee.