Resin Bee vs Long-legged Oil Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Resin Bee Long-legged Oil Bee
Scientific Name Megachile campanulae Rediviva longimanus
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Megachilidae Melittidae
Size 10-14 mm 12-15 mm
Habitat Underground Heathland
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions North America South Africa
Conservation Least Concern Data Deficient

Resin Bee

A solitary bee that collects plant resins and sap to construct its brood cells.

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Did You Know?

It builds cell partitions from plant resin mixed with tiny pebbles.

Long-legged Oil Bee

An extraordinary South African bee whose front legs are nearly twice its body length, the longest of any bee relative to body size. It uses these to collect oils from long-spurred flowers.

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Did You Know?

The coevolution between its leg length and Diascia spur length is one of the most famous examples of a pollination arms race.