Heather Mining Bee vs African Mud Dauber
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Heather Mining Bee | African Mud Dauber |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Andrena fuscipes | Sceliphron spirifex |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Andrenidae | Sphecidae |
| Size | 10-12 mm | 20-28 mm |
| Habitat | Heathland | Underground |
| Diet | Pollen Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | Europe | Throughout Africa |
| Conservation | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
Heather Mining Bee
A late-summer specialist bee that collects pollen almost exclusively from heather and bell heather. It nests in sandy soil on heathlands.
Did You Know?
Its late summer flight season precisely coincides with heather bloom and it is one of the last solitary bees flying in the year.
African Mud Dauber
A slender black and yellow wasp with an extremely narrow petiole waist. It constructs mud nests on walls and ceilings, provisioning them with paralyzed spiders.
Did You Know?
A single mud nest cell may contain up to 25 paralyzed spiders stacked together as food for one developing larva.