Teddy Bear Bee vs Narcissus Bulb Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Teddy Bear Bee Narcissus Bulb Fly
Scientific Name Amegilla bombiformis Merodon equestris
Order Hymenoptera Diptera
Family Apidae Syrphidae
Size 15-20 mm 10-15 mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Australia, Oceania Europe, North America (introduced), Oceania (introduced)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Teddy Bear Bee

A plump, densely furred native Australian bee that closely resembles a bumblebee. Despite its cuddly appearance, it is a solitary bee that nests in burrows in soft sandstone or clay banks.

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Did You Know?

It uses buzz pollination, vibrating its flight muscles at a specific frequency to shake pollen from flowers that other bees cannot access.

Narcissus Bulb Fly

A bumble bee-mimicking hoverfly that comes in multiple color forms matching different bumblebee species. Its larvae bore into and destroy daffodil and narcissus bulbs.

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Did You Know?

It exists in multiple color forms, each mimicking a different bumblebee species found in the same habitat.