Robust Large-headed Bee vs Holly Blue

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Robust Large-headed Bee Holly Blue
Scientific Name Stenotritus pubescens Celastrina argiolus
Order Hymenoptera Lepidoptera
Family Stenotritidae Lycaenidae
Size 14-18 mm 26-34 mm wingspan
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Southern Australia Europe, North Africa, Asia, North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Robust Large-headed Bee

A heavily built bee covered in dense pale pubescence found in southern Australia. It is one of the fastest-flying bee species and is difficult to catch in flight.

💡

Did You Know?

It has been clocked flying at speeds exceeding 28 km/h, making it one of the fastest bees ever recorded.

Holly Blue

Pale silvery-blue butterfly with small black dots on the underside. Alternates between holly and ivy as host plants between spring and summer broods.

💡

Did You Know?

Population numbers cycle dramatically every few years due to a parasitic wasp that tracks its abundance.