Wood-carving Leafcutter Bee vs Deer Ked
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Wood-carving Leafcutter Bee | Deer Ked |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Megachile ligniseca | Lipoptena cervi |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Diptera |
| Family | Megachilidae | Hippoboscidae |
| Size | 13-16 mm | 5-7 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Woodlands |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Blood Feeders |
| Regions | Europe, Western Asia | Europe, Asia, introduced to North America |
| Conservation | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
Wood-carving Leafcutter Bee
A large, dark leafcutter bee that nests in rotten wood and dead tree stumps across Europe. Females cut large leaf pieces from roses, birch, and willows.
Did You Know?
Unlike most leafcutter bees that use pre-existing holes, it chews its own nest cavities directly into soft rotten wood.
Deer Ked
A flattened, reddish-brown blood-sucking fly that sheds its wings upon finding a deer host. It clings tenaciously to the hair with strong claws and feeds on blood throughout its life.
Did You Know?
After landing on a host, it breaks off its own wings permanently, spending the rest of its life as a wingless ectoparasite.