Executioner Wasp vs Ashy Mining Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Executioner Wasp Ashy Mining Bee
Scientific Name Polistes carnifex Andrena cineraria
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Vespidae Andrenidae
Size 25-35 mm 10-14 mm
Habitat Grasslands Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Central America, South America Western Europe, Central Europe, Northern Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Executioner Wasp

The largest Neotropical paper wasp, with a sting that produces immediate searing pain and potentially causes tissue necrosis. It builds open comb nests.

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Did You Know?

Some entomologists consider its sting more painful than the bullet ant, placing it among the most painful in the insect world.

Ashy Mining Bee

A striking black and grey solitary bee with silvery-white hair bands on its thorax. It nests in compacted soil and is one of the first bees to appear in spring.

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Did You Know?

Large aggregations of hundreds of nest holes can appear suddenly on garden lawns in April.