Willow Bean-Gall Sawfly vs Hawaiian Assimulans Yellow-faced Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Willow Bean-Gall Sawfly Hawaiian Assimulans Yellow-faced Bee
Scientific Name Pontania proxima Hylaeus assimulans
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Tenthredinidae Colletidae
Size 3-5 mm 6-8 mm
Habitat Wetlands Beaches & Coastal
Diet Herbivores Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, Western Asia Oceania (Hawaii)
Conservation Least Concern Endangered

Willow Bean-Gall Sawfly

A tiny sawfly that induces distinctive bean-shaped galls on the leaves of various willow species. Each gall contains a single larva feeding on internal gall tissue.

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Did You Know?

The gall-inducing chemicals secreted by the larva redirect the plant's growth to create a nutrient-rich chamber specifically for the larva's benefit.

Hawaiian Assimulans Yellow-faced Bee

A rare endemic bee from the Hawaiian Islands, once found on several islands but now severely reduced in range. It nests in the stems of native plants and abandoned beetle holes. Habitat loss and invasive species have drastically reduced its populations.

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Did You Know?

This bee is one of seven Hawaiian yellow-faced bee species federally listed as endangered, highlighting the perilous state of Hawaiian native pollinators.