Silvery Leafcutter Bee vs Spangle Gall Wasp

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Silvery Leafcutter Bee Spangle Gall Wasp
Scientific Name Megachile leachella Neuroterus quercusbaccarum
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Megachilidae Cynipidae
Size 9-12 mm 1.5–2.5 mm
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Woodlands
Diet Nectar Feeders Herbivores
Regions Europe Europe
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

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.

Spangle Gall Wasp

A tiny gall wasp that produces flat, disc-shaped spangle galls on the undersides of oak leaves. It alternates between two distinct gall forms across generations.

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Did You Know?

A single oak leaf may carry over a hundred spangle galls, yet the tree suffers minimal harm.