Teddy Bear Bee vs Western Cicada Killer

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Teddy Bear Bee Western Cicada Killer
Scientific Name Amegilla bombiformis Sphecius grandis
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Apidae Crabronidae
Size 15-20 mm 30-55 mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Deserts & Drylands
Diet Nectar Feeders Predators
Regions Australia, Oceania Western United States from the Great Plains to the Pacific coast
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.

Western Cicada Killer

A massive solitary wasp of the American West that hunts cicadas to provision its underground burrows. It is slightly larger and paler than its eastern relative.

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Did You Know?

Despite its intimidating size, it is generally docile toward humans and males cannot sting at all.