Common False Blister Beetle vs Neon Cuckoo Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Common False Blister Beetle Neon Cuckoo Bee
Scientific Name Oedemera lurida Thyreus nitidulus
Order Coleoptera Hymenoptera
Family Oedemeridae Apidae
Size 5-8 mm 10-14 mm
Habitat Meadows Woodlands
Diet Pollen Feeders Pollen Feeders
Regions Europe Australia
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Common False Blister Beetle

A small olive-green or brownish beetle found commonly on flowers across Europe. Unlike the related O. nobilis, both sexes have slender femora.

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Did You Know?

Larvae develop inside the dead stems of various herbaceous plants, taking about a year to complete development.

Neon Cuckoo Bee

A stunning blue-spotted cleptoparasite that lays eggs in the nests of blue-banded bees. The cuckoo larva hatches first and consumes the host's pollen provisions.

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Did You Know?

Their brilliant blue spots are formed by dense patches of iridescent hairs that mimic the coloring of their host bees.