Silvery Leafcutter Bee vs Heineken Hoverfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Silvery Leafcutter Bee Heineken Hoverfly
Scientific Name Megachile leachella Rhingia campestris
Order Hymenoptera Diptera
Family Megachilidae Syrphidae
Size 9-12 mm 9-12 mm
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Farmland
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Silvery Leafcutter Bee

A coastal specialist bee with silvery-white hair on the underside of the abdomen. It nests in sandy ground near the coast.

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Did You Know?

It lines its nest cells with cut pieces of petals rather than leaves, unlike most leafcutter bees.

Heineken Hoverfly

An unmistakable hoverfly with a long, beak-like snout used to reach nectar in tubular flowers. It has an orange abdomen and dark thorax.

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Did You Know?

It is nicknamed the Heineken fly because its long snout lets it reach the nectar other hoverflies cannot reach.