Gold-fringed Mason Bee vs Neotropical Stingless Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Gold-fringed Mason Bee Neotropical Stingless Bee
Scientific Name Osmia aurulenta Tetragonisca angustula
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Megachilidae Apidae
Size 9-12 mm 4-5 mm
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Woodlands
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Western Europe, Central Europe, Southern Europe Central America, South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Gold-fringed Mason Bee

A distinctive solitary bee that nests inside empty snail shells on warm hillsides. Females cover the shell with grass and debris for camouflage after laying eggs.

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Did You Know?

It exclusively nests in snail shells, carefully selecting ones of the right size for its brood.

Neotropical Stingless Bee

A tiny stingless bee whose honey has been harvested by indigenous peoples for centuries.

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Did You Know?

Guard bees at the nest entrance use chemical warfare by depositing sticky resin on intruders.