Alpine Bumblebee vs Blue-Banded Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Alpine Bumblebee Blue-Banded Bee
Scientific Name Bombus alpinus Amegilla cingulata
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Apidae Apidae
Size 14-20 mm 10-12 mm
Habitat Mountains Farmland
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Scandinavia, Finnish Lapland, Kola Peninsula, Ural Mountains Australia, Southeast Asia, India
Conservation Vulnerable Least Concern

Alpine Bumblebee

A large bumblebee with distinctive orange-red tail and dark body covered in dense fur. It is found at high elevations in Scandinavian mountains. Colonies are small due to the short growing season.

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Did You Know?

This bumblebee has been observed foraging at altitudes exceeding 2000 meters in Scandinavia where few other pollinators venture.

Blue-Banded Bee

A striking Australian native bee with iridescent turquoise bands on its abdomen. They are important buzz pollinators of tomatoes and other crops.

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Did You Know?

They bang their heads against flowers at 350 times per second to vibrate pollen loose, a technique called buzz pollination.