Punctate Sweat Bee vs Malagasy Orchid Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Punctate Sweat Bee Malagasy Orchid Bee
Scientific Name Lasioglossum punctatissimum Liotrigona madecassa
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Halictidae Apidae
Size 5-6 mm 3-5 mm
Habitat Grasslands Farmland
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, Western Asia Madagascar
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Punctate Sweat Bee

A tiny, dark furrow bee with dense punctation covering its thorax and head. It is one of the most common but overlooked solitary bees in European grasslands.

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Did You Know?

Its heavily sculpted exoskeleton with thousands of tiny pits gives it a matte finish that distinguishes it from shinier related species.

Malagasy Orchid Bee

A tiny stingless bee that is one of Madagascar's most important pollinators. It has a black body with pale wing membranes and forms colonies in hollow tree trunks.

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Did You Know?

Local communities harvest its honey, called 'tantely kely' in Malagasy, which is prized for its distinctive floral flavor and medicinal properties.