Neon Cuckoo Bee vs Lower Attine Ant
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Neon Cuckoo Bee | Lower Attine Ant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Thyreus nitidulus | Cyphomyrmex rimosus |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Apidae | Formicidae |
| Size | 10-14 mm | 2-3 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Gardens |
| Diet | Pollen Feeders | Detritivores |
| Regions | Australia | Southern United States, Central and South America |
| Conservation | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
Neon Cuckoo Bee
A stunning blue-spotted cleptoparasite that lays eggs in the nests of blue-banded bees. The cuckoo larva hatches first and consumes the host's pollen provisions.
Did You Know?
Their brilliant blue spots are formed by dense patches of iridescent hairs that mimic the coloring of their host bees.
Lower Attine Ant
A tiny, cryptic fungus-growing ant with a rugose and heavily sculptured dark brown body. Workers cultivate yeast rather than the mycelial fungus of more derived attines. They collect insect frass and dead plant material for their yeast gardens.
Did You Know?
Unlike their famous leafcutter relatives, they grow a yeast-like fungus rather than the mushroom-like fungi cultivated by Atta and Acromyrmex.