Red Mason Bee vs Malagasy Trap-jaw Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Red Mason Bee Malagasy Trap-jaw Ant
Scientific Name Osmia bicornis Mystrium oberthueri
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Megachilidae Amblyoponidae
Size 8-13 mm 4-7 mm
Habitat Orchards Woodlands
Diet Fruit Feeders Omnivores
Regions Western Europe, Central Europe, Northern Europe Madagascar
Conservation Least Concern Data Deficient

Red Mason Bee

A compact, ginger-haired solitary bee that nests in hollow stems and bee hotels. It is an exceptionally efficient pollinator of fruit trees in spring.

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Did You Know?

A single red mason bee can do the pollination work of 120 honeybees on apple trees.

Malagasy Trap-jaw Ant

A pale yellow to amber ant with elongated mandibles that can snap shut at extreme speeds. It is closely related to M. camillae and shares the Dracula ant feeding behavior.

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Did You Know?

Like other Dracula ants, workers feed by non-destructively puncturing larval skin and drinking hemolymph, a practice unique among ants.