Pipe-organ Mud Wasp vs Sandpit Mining Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Pipe-organ Mud Wasp Sandpit Mining Bee
Scientific Name Trypoxylon figulus Andrena barbilabris
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Crabronidae Andrenidae
Size 8-12 mm 10-13 mm
Habitat Underground Beaches & Coastal
Diet Predators Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe Europe, Northern Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Pipe-organ Mud Wasp

A slender black solitary wasp that builds mud-tube nests in hollow stems and holes, provisioning them with paralyzed spiders. Named for the organ-pipe arrangement of its mud cells.

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Did You Know?

Builds multiple tube-shaped mud cells arranged like the pipes of a church organ.

Sandpit Mining Bee

A pale, sandy-colored mining bee that specializes in nesting in loose sandy soils. It is commonly found in sand pits, coastal dunes, and sandy heaths.

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Did You Know?

Its pale sandy coloring provides excellent camouflage against the light soils where it nests, making it nearly invisible when resting.