Sweat Bee vs Woolly Alder Sawfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Sweat Bee Woolly Alder Sawfly
Scientific Name Halictus ligatus Eriocampa ovata
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Halictidae Tenthredinidae
Size 7-11 mm 5-7 mm
Habitat Farmland Rivers & Streams
Diet Nectar Feeders Herbivores
Regions North America Europe, introduced to North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Sweat Bee

A small, dark metallic bee that is attracted to human perspiration for its salt content. It exhibits variable social behavior ranging from solitary to primitively eusocial nesting.

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Did You Know?

Sweat bees are among the most important wild pollinators of crops, and some species can switch between solitary and social living depending on environmental conditions.

Woolly Alder Sawfly

A small, dark sawfly whose larvae are covered in a white, woolly, waxy secretion. The larvae feed on the underside of alder leaves.

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Did You Know?

The white waxy covering on the larva closely resembles woolly aphids, a possible case of defensive mimicry.