Spider-hunting Wasp vs Willoughby's Leafcutter Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Spider-hunting Wasp Willoughby's Leafcutter Bee
Scientific Name Anoplius nigerrimus Megachile willughbiella
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Pompilidae Megachilidae
Size 12-18mm 12-16 mm
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Woodlands
Diet Predators Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe Europe, Central Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Spider-hunting Wasp

A large all-black spider-hunting wasp that drags paralyzed wolf spiders back to its burrow.

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Did You Know?

Paralyzes a wolf spider with a precise sting to the nerve ganglion then drags it backwards to its burrow.

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.