Nomada Cuckoo Bee vs Queen Butterfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Nomada Cuckoo Bee Queen Butterfly
Scientific Name Nomada marshamella Danaus gilippus
Order Hymenoptera Lepidoptera
Family Apidae Nymphalidae
Size 9-12mm 67-78 mm wingspan
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Deserts & Drylands
Diet Parasitoids Herbivores
Regions Europe Southern USA, Central and South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Nomada Cuckoo Bee

A wasp-like cuckoo bee with red and black markings that sneaks into andrena bee nests to lay its eggs.

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Did You Know?

Mimics a wasp in appearance and behavior to avoid detection while sneaking into the nests of mining bees.

Queen Butterfly

A close relative of the Monarch butterfly with similar orange coloring but darker. Found across the Americas. Like the Monarch, it sequesters toxic cardenolides from milkweed.

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Did You Know?

A close cousin of the Monarch that is equally toxic but does not undertake the same famous migration.