Mason Wasp vs Red Dwarf Honey Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Mason Wasp Red Dwarf Honey Bee
Scientific Name Ancistrocerus nigricornis Apis florea
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Vespidae Apidae
Size 10-14 mm 7-10 mm
Habitat Underground Heathland
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, Western Asia South Asia, Southeast Asia, Middle East
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Mason Wasp

A small black and yellow solitary wasp that nests in pre-existing holes and hollow stems. It provisions each cell with paralyzed moth caterpillars.

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Did You Know?

It readily uses artificial bee hotels, making it one of the easiest solitary wasps to attract to gardens.

Red Dwarf Honey Bee

The smallest honey bee species, building single exposed combs hanging from tree branches. They are important wild pollinators across tropical Asia.

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Did You Know?

They communicate food locations using a waggle dance performed on the flat top surface of their single open comb.