Horned Mason Bee vs African Scoliid Wasp

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Horned Mason Bee African Scoliid Wasp
Scientific Name Osmia cornuta Megascolia vittata
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Megachilidae Scoliidae
Size 12-15 mm 30-45 mm
Habitat Orchards Forests
Diet Fruit Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, North Africa, Western Asia Sub-Saharan Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Horned Mason Bee

A robust spring-flying bee with distinctive horn-like projections on the female's face. It is widely used as a managed pollinator in European fruit orchards.

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Did You Know?

It is three times more efficient at pollinating almond flowers than the honeybee.

African Scoliid Wasp

A very large black and yellow-banded scoliid wasp from sub-Saharan Africa. It parasitizes goliath beetle and other large scarab beetle larvae in forest soils.

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Did You Know?

It targets some of the largest beetle grubs on Earth, including those of goliath beetles weighing over 100 grams.