Panzer's Nomad Bee vs Polar Willow Gall Sawfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Panzer's Nomad Bee Polar Willow Gall Sawfly
Scientific Name Nomada panzeri Euura arcticum
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Andrenidae Tenthredinidae
Size 8-10 mm 3-5 mm
Habitat Woodlands Tundra & Arctic
Diet Predators Gall Makers
Regions Europe Arctic Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Arctic Scandinavia, Svalbard
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Panzer's Nomad Bee

A wasp-mimicking cleptoparasitic bee that targets Andrena mining bee nests. Its bright red, yellow, and black coloring warns predators of its sting.

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Did You Know?

It has lost all pollen-collecting structures because its larvae are fed entirely by stolen provisions from mining bee nests.

Polar Willow Gall Sawfly

A tiny sawfly that induces galls on Arctic willow stems by injecting chemicals during egg-laying. The larva develops safely inside the swollen plant tissue. Adults are small and dark with clear wings.

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Did You Know?

The gall provides the larva with both food and insulation, maintaining temperatures several degrees warmer than the outside air.