Flat-tailed Leaf-cutter Bee vs Green Tortoise Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Flat-tailed Leaf-cutter Bee Green Tortoise Beetle
Scientific Name Megachile mendica Cassida viridis
Order Hymenoptera Coleoptera
Family Megachilidae Chrysomelidae
Size 10-13 mm 7-10 mm
Habitat Underground Wetlands
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Europe, Western Asia Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Flat-tailed Leaf-cutter Bee

A medium-sized leaf-cutter bee with pale abdominal hair bands. It provisions its nest cells with carefully cut pieces of rose and birch leaves.

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Did You Know?

It can cut a perfect leaf disc in under 10 seconds using its sharp mandibles.

Green Tortoise Beetle

A broadly oval, flattened beetle that is bright green in life, with transparent margins around the pronotum and elytra. It closely resembles a tiny green shield when viewed from above.

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Did You Know?

The green coloring fades rapidly after death, turning dull brown in preserved specimens, which is why museum collections do not reflect its living beauty.