Tiger Bee Fly vs Four-toothed Mason Wasp

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tiger Bee Fly Four-toothed Mason Wasp
Scientific Name Xenox tigrinus Monobia quadridens
Order Diptera Hymenoptera
Family Bombyliidae Vespidae
Size 12-18 mm 16-19 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Parasitoids Nectar Feeders
Regions North America Eastern North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Tiger Bee Fly

A large, dramatic bee fly with boldly patterned black and white spotted wings. It is commonly seen flying around wooden structures where its host carpenter bees nest.

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Did You Know?

Females hover at carpenter bee nest entrances and flick eggs inside while the bee is away foraging.

Four-toothed Mason Wasp

A solitary black and white mason wasp that nests in hollow stems and old carpenter bee tunnels. It provisions cells with paralyzed moth caterpillars.

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Did You Know?

It divides its nest tunnel into multiple cells using mud partitions, each containing one egg.