Walnut Husk Fly vs Tawny Mining Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Walnut Husk Fly Tawny Mining Bee
Scientific Name Rhagoletis completa Andrena fulva
Order Diptera Hymenoptera
Family Tephritidae Andrenidae
Size 5-7 mm 8-14 mm
Habitat Orchards Gardens
Diet Fruit Feeders Fruit Feeders
Regions North America, Southern Europe Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Walnut Husk Fly

A fruit fly whose larvae feed inside walnut husks, staining and damaging the nuts. It has become an invasive pest in European walnut-growing regions.

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Did You Know?

Larval feeding stains walnut shells black, making them unmarketable even though the nut inside may be fine.

Tawny Mining Bee

A solitary bee covered in dense bright orange-brown fur that gives it a foxy appearance. Females excavate individual nest burrows in lawns and garden paths each spring.

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Did You Know?

Each female digs her own nest burrow up to 30 centimeters deep and provisions several underground chambers with pollen balls, each topped with a single egg.