Golden Orchid Bee vs Steelblue Ichneumon

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Golden Orchid Bee Steelblue Ichneumon
Scientific Name Eufriesea surinamensis Lissopimpla excelsa
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Apidae Ichneumonidae
Size 18-24 mm 12-18 mm
Habitat Forests Orchards
Diet Nectar Feeders Parasitoids
Regions Suriname, Brazil, French Guiana, Venezuela, Central America Australia, New Zealand
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Golden Orchid Bee

A stunningly beautiful orchid bee with a metallic golden-green body and reddish legs. It is a solitary nester that builds cells from resin and plant material.

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Did You Know?

Females construct their nest cells from tree resin, which has natural antimicrobial properties that protect developing larvae.

Steelblue Ichneumon

A metallic blue-black ichneumon wasp native to Australia. It is an important parasitoid of pest caterpillars including the introduced cabbage moth.

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Did You Know?

It was deliberately introduced to New Zealand to help control pest moth populations in agriculture.