Dawson's Burrowing Bee vs African Honey Bee
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Dawson's Burrowing Bee | African Honey Bee |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Amegilla dawsoni | Apis mellifera scutellata |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Apidae | Apidae |
| Size | 18-24 mm | Workers 10-13 mm |
| Habitat | Heathland | Farmland |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | Western Australia | East Africa, Southern Africa |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Dawson's Burrowing Bee
A large solitary bee endemic to Western Australia that nests in massive aggregations in hardpan clay. Males engage in violent aerial combat to mate with emerging females.
Did You Know?
Male combat is so fierce that individuals frequently die from injuries sustained during mating battles.
African Honey Bee
The African subspecies of the western honey bee, known for its defensive behavior and high productivity. It is slightly smaller than European honey bees.
Did You Know?
When introduced to the Americas in 1957, they hybridized with European bees to produce the so-called 'Africanized' killer bees.