Hairy Wood Ant vs Painted Nomad Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Hairy Wood Ant Painted Nomad Bee
Scientific Name Formica lugubris Nomada fucata
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Formicidae Apidae
Size 4-8 mm 8-10mm
Habitat Forests Woodlands
Diet Carrion Feeders Parasitoids
Regions Europe, Northern Asia Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Hairy Wood Ant

A large mound-building ant of upland coniferous forests with noticeably hairy body surfaces. It forms polydomous colonies with multiple interconnected nests.

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Did You Know?

A supercolony in the Swiss Jura mountains contained over 1,200 interconnected nests spanning 70 hectares.

Painted Nomad Bee

A bright yellow and black cuckoo bee that parasitizes the nests of Andrena mining bees.

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Did You Know?

Sneaks into mining bee nests while the host is away foraging and lays eggs that will outcompete the host's larva.