Sugarbag Bee vs Ashy Mining Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Sugarbag Bee Ashy Mining Bee
Scientific Name Tetragonula carbonaria Andrena cineraria
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Apidae Andrenidae
Size 3-5 mm 10-14 mm
Habitat Woodlands Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Eastern Australia Western Europe, Central Europe, Northern Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Sugarbag Bee

A tiny Australian stingless bee commonly kept in backyard hives for pollination and honey. They build distinctive spiral brood combs inside their nests.

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Did You Know?

Their honey, called sugarbag, has a distinctive tangy flavor and is prized for its purported medicinal properties.

Ashy Mining Bee

A striking black and grey solitary bee with silvery-white hair bands on its thorax. It nests in compacted soil and is one of the first bees to appear in spring.

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Did You Know?

Large aggregations of hundreds of nest holes can appear suddenly on garden lawns in April.