Sweat Bee of the Desert vs Willow Bean-Gall Sawfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Sweat Bee of the Desert Willow Bean-Gall Sawfly
Scientific Name Lasioglossum titusi Pontania proxima
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Halictidae Tenthredinidae
Size 5-8 mm 3-5 mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Wetlands
Diet Nectar Feeders Herbivores
Regions North America Europe, Western Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Sweat Bee of the Desert

A small metallic green bee found in arid regions of western North America. It nests communally in sandy desert soil.

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Did You Know?

It is attracted to human sweat for the salt it contains, which is scarce in desert environments.

Willow Bean-Gall Sawfly

A tiny sawfly that induces distinctive bean-shaped galls on the leaves of various willow species. Each gall contains a single larva feeding on internal gall tissue.

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Did You Know?

The gall-inducing chemicals secreted by the larva redirect the plant's growth to create a nutrient-rich chamber specifically for the larva's benefit.