Thief Ant vs Southeastern Blueberry Bee
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Thief Ant | Southeastern Blueberry Bee |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Solenopsis molesta | Habropoda laboriosa |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Formicidae | Apidae |
| Size | 1-2 mm | 12-15 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Deserts & Drylands |
| Diet | Omnivores | Pollen Feeders |
| Regions | North America | Southeastern United States from Virginia to Florida and west to Mississippi |
| Conservation | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
Thief Ant
One of the smallest ant species in North America, nesting near larger ant colonies to steal food and brood. Their tiny size allows them to enter other nests through passages too small for defenders.
Did You Know?
They are so small they can live inside the walls of other ant nests for extended periods without being detected.
Southeastern Blueberry Bee
A fuzzy native bee that is the most efficient pollinator of blueberry flowers in North America. It uses buzz pollination to shake pollen loose from blueberry blossoms.
Did You Know?
A single female can pollinate enough blueberry flowers to produce over a gallon of blueberries in her lifetime.