South American Cuckoo Bee vs Black-Headed Ash Sawfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | South American Cuckoo Bee | Black-Headed Ash Sawfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Exaerete frontalis | Tethida barda |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Apidae | Tenthredinidae |
| Size | 22-28 mm | 6-8 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Forests |
| Diet | Parasites | Herbivores |
| Regions | Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Central America | Eastern North America |
| Conservation | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
South American Cuckoo Bee
A large metallic blue-green cleptoparasitic orchid bee that lays its eggs in the nests of other orchid bees. Its mandibles are strong enough to break into sealed brood cells.
Did You Know?
Its larvae first consume the host's food stores, then devour the host bee larva itself before pupating in the stolen nest cell.
Black-Headed Ash Sawfly
A small sawfly whose larvae have distinctive black heads and whitish-green bodies. They feed on the underside of ash leaflets, skeletonizing them.
Did You Know?
This species is often mistaken for moth caterpillars, but like all sawfly larvae, it has more than five pairs of prolegs on its abdomen.