Horned Mason Bee vs Natal Fruit Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Horned Mason Bee Natal Fruit Fly
Scientific Name Osmia cornuta Ceratitis rosa
Order Hymenoptera Diptera
Family Megachilidae Tephritidae
Size 12-15 mm 4-6 mm
Habitat Orchards Orchards
Diet Fruit Feeders Fruit Feeders
Regions Europe, North Africa, Western Asia Sub-Saharan Africa, Indian Ocean Islands
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.

Natal Fruit Fly

A colorful African fruit fly closely related to the Mediterranean fruit fly. It attacks tropical and subtropical fruits across sub-Saharan Africa.

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Did You Know?

It prefers cooler, higher-altitude habitats than the medfly, occupying a complementary niche in Africa.