Willoughby's Leafcutter Bee vs Red-tipped Flower Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Willoughby's Leafcutter Bee Red-tipped Flower Beetle
Scientific Name Megachile willughbiella Malachius bipustulatus
Order Hymenoptera Coleoptera
Family Megachilidae Melyridae
Size 12-16 mm 5-7 mm
Habitat Woodlands Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, Central Asia Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Willoughby's Leafcutter Bee

A large, furry leafcutter bee common across Europe that nests in a variety of above-ground cavities. It is named after the 17th-century English naturalist Francis Willughby.

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Did You Know?

Females have been recorded cutting leaf pieces from over 20 different plant species to construct a single nest.

Red-tipped Flower Beetle

A small metallic green beetle with bright red tips on each elytron. Males can evert orange vesicles from their thorax as a display.

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Did You Know?

Males produce pheromone-laden secretions from thoracic vesicles that females lick during courtship.