Honey Bee vs Caribbean Calligrapha Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Honey Bee Caribbean Calligrapha Beetle
Scientific Name Apis mellifera Calligrapha cubana
Order Hymenoptera Coleoptera
Family Apidae Chrysomelidae
Size 12-15 mm 8-12 mm
Habitat Heathland Heathland
Diet Nectar Feeders Herbivores
Regions Worldwide Cuba
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Honey Bee

The worlds most important pollinator. Lives in complex colonies of up to 80,000 individuals with a single queen. Communicates food locations through the waggle dance.

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Did You Know?

A honey bee must visit about 2 million flowers and fly over 88,000 km — equivalent to circling the Earth twice — to produce just one pound of honey.

Caribbean Calligrapha Beetle

A leaf beetle found in Cuba with intricate dark patterns on a pale background. Each individual has a unique pattern on its elytra.

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Did You Know?

The patterns on their wing covers look like calligraphy, giving the genus its name.