Giant Twig Ant vs Hawaiian Yellow-faced Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Giant Twig Ant Hawaiian Yellow-faced Bee
Scientific Name Pseudomyrmex spinicola Hylaeus longiceps
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Formicidae Colletidae
Size 5-10 mm 7-10 mm
Habitat Forests Beaches & Coastal
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Central America, Southern Mexico Oceania (Hawaii)
Conservation Least Concern Endangered

Giant Twig Ant

One of the largest acacia-ant species, nesting in the massive swollen thorns of Central American bullhorn acacias. Queens can produce enormous colonies with thousands of aggressive workers.

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Did You Know?

They are so effective at protecting acacias that cattle ranchers consider them a serious hazard when clearing land.

Hawaiian Yellow-faced Bee

An endemic Hawaiian bee with distinctive yellow facial markings, found in dry coastal and lowland habitats. It nests in hollow plant stems and beetle borings. Hawaiian Hylaeus are the only bees native to the Hawaiian Islands.

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Did You Know?

Hawaiian yellow-faced bees were the first bees in the United States to be listed under the Endangered Species Act, in 2016.