Field Digger Wasp vs Horned Mason Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Field Digger Wasp Horned Mason Bee
Scientific Name Mellinus arvensis Osmia cornuta
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Crabronidae Megachilidae
Size 10-14mm 12-15 mm
Habitat Heathland Orchards
Diet Predators Fruit Feeders
Regions Europe Europe, North Africa, Western Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Field Digger Wasp

A yellow and black wasp that nests in sandy soil and provisions each cell with paralyzed hoverflies.

💡

Did You Know?

Digs a nest burrow in bare sandy soil and stocks each cell with 5-8 precisely paralyzed hoverflies.

Horned Mason Bee

A robust spring-flying bee with distinctive horn-like projections on the female's face. It is widely used as a managed pollinator in European fruit orchards.

💡

Did You Know?

It is three times more efficient at pollinating almond flowers than the honeybee.