Two-coloured Mason Bee vs Australian Satin Sawfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Two-coloured Mason Bee Australian Satin Sawfly
Scientific Name Osmia bicolor Perga lewisi
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Megachilidae Pergidae
Size 8-11 mm 14-20 mm
Habitat Grasslands Woodlands
Diet Nectar Feeders Herbivores
Regions Europe Australia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Two-coloured Mason Bee

A distinctive bee with a black head and thorax and bright orange abdominal hair. It uniquely nests inside empty snail shells on chalk grasslands.

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Did You Know?

After filling a snail shell with pollen and eggs, the female camouflages it by piling grass and plant stems over it.

Australian Satin Sawfly

A large Australian sawfly with a satiny dark blue-black body. Larvae are robust and feed in clusters on eucalyptus foliage.

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Did You Know?

The larvae tap their bodies rhythmically against the branch when disturbed, producing vibrations that may alert other larvae in the colony.