Squash Bee vs Beet Armyworm
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Squash Bee | Beet Armyworm |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Peponapis pruinosa | Spodoptera exigua |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Apidae | Noctuidae |
| Size | 12-14 mm | 25-30 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Farmland | Farmland |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Herbivores |
| Regions | North America, Central America | Worldwide warm regions |
| Conservation | Not Evaluated | Not Evaluated |
Squash Bee
A solitary ground-nesting bee that specializes exclusively in pollinating squash, pumpkin, and gourd flowers. It begins foraging before dawn when cucurbit flowers first open.
Did You Know?
Males often sleep inside closed squash blossoms at night, occasionally getting trapped when the flower wilts.
Beet Armyworm
A small grayish-brown moth whose green caterpillars attack a wide range of vegetable and field crops. Larvae often skeletonize leaves before moving to fruits and growing points.
Did You Know?
Young larvae spin fine silk threads that allow them to balloon on the wind to new host plants.