Cape Oil-collecting Bee vs Japanese Copper
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Cape Oil-collecting Bee | Japanese Copper |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Rediviva neliana | Lycaena phlaeas daimio |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Melittidae | Lycaenidae |
| Size | 10-14 mm | 22-30 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Mountains | Underground |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | South Africa | East Asia, Japan |
| Conservation | Data Deficient | Least Concern |
Cape Oil-collecting Bee
A South African oil-collecting bee with extraordinarily long front legs used to extract floral oil from deep-spurred Diascia flowers. It is a solitary ground-nesting species.
Did You Know?
Its front legs can be longer than its entire body, an extreme adaptation for reaching oils at the bottom of deep flower spurs.
Japanese Copper
The Japanese subspecies of the small copper butterfly, known as 'beni-shijimi.' A small but brilliantly colored butterfly with fiery orange-copper wings. One of the most common butterflies in Japan.
Did You Know?
Male small coppers are aggressively territorial and will challenge insects much larger than themselves, including large butterflies and dragonflies.