Valentine Ant vs Sharp-tailed Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Valentine Ant Sharp-tailed Bee
Scientific Name Crematogaster cerasi Coelioxys conoidea
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Formicidae Megachilidae
Size 2.5-4 mm 12-15 mm
Habitat Woodlands Beaches & Coastal
Diet Gall Makers Parasites
Regions Eastern North America Europe, North Africa
Conservation Not Evaluated Near Threatened

Valentine Ant

A North American acrobat ant common in deciduous forests and suburban yards. They typically nest in dead branches and old insect galleries in trees.

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Did You Know?

Their heart-shaped abdomen gives them the charming nickname valentine ant.

Sharp-tailed Bee

A cleptoparasitic bee with a sharply pointed abdomen used to pierce the cell walls of leafcutter bee nests. Females lay their eggs directly into provisioned host cells.

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Did You Know?

The female's dagger-like abdomen tip is so sharp it can slice through multiple layers of leaf cell walls to deposit an egg.