Thistle Gall Wasp vs Long-horned Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Thistle Gall Wasp Long-horned Bee
Scientific Name Isocolus scabiosae Eucera longicornis
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Cynipidae Apidae
Size 1.5-2.5 mm 13-16 mm
Habitat Meadows Grasslands
Diet Gall Makers Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, Western Asia Europe
Conservation Least Concern Near Threatened

Thistle Gall Wasp

A minute gall-inducing wasp that forms swellings on knapweed flower heads. It has been studied as a potential biocontrol agent for invasive knapweeds.

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Did You Know?

A single flower head can contain dozens of tiny gall chambers, each housing one larva.

Long-horned Bee

Males are unmistakable with their extraordinarily long antennae, nearly as long as the body. It nests in the ground in warm, sunny grasslands.

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Did You Know?

The male's enormously long antennae are thought to help detect female pheromones at greater distances.