Cape Honey Bee vs Short-Winged Blister Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Cape Honey Bee | Short-Winged Blister Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apis mellifera capensis | Meloe violaceus |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Apidae | Meloidae |
| Size | Workers 11-13 mm | 15-32 mm |
| Habitat | Beaches & Coastal | Beaches & Coastal |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Herbivores |
| Regions | South Africa (Western Cape, Eastern Cape) | Europe |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
Cape Honey Bee
A unique honey bee subspecies where workers can lay diploid female eggs without mating. It is restricted to the winter rainfall region of South Africa.
Did You Know?
Worker bees of this subspecies can clone themselves through a rare reproductive process called thelytokous parthenogenesis.
Short-Winged Blister Beetle
A blue-violet oil beetle found across Europe, often seen walking on paths and open ground in spring. Like other oil beetles, it oozes cantharidin-laced fluid from its joints when threatened.
Did You Know?
A single female can lay over 4,000 eggs in a season, but fewer than one percent of larvae survive to adulthood.