Arctic Bumblebee vs Long-Legged Desert Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Arctic Bumblebee Long-Legged Desert Ant
Scientific Name Bombus polaris Cataglyphis bicolor
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Apidae Formicidae
Size 15-22 mm 6-12 mm
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Deserts & Drylands
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Canadian Arctic, Alaska, Greenland, northern Scandinavia, Svalbard, Siberia Mediterranean Europe, Middle East, North Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Arctic Bumblebee

A large, densely furred bumblebee with yellow and black banding adapted to extreme cold. Its thick pile of hair provides superior insulation. Queens emerge from hibernation as soon as snow melts.

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Did You Know?

This bumblebee can maintain its flight muscle temperature at 30 degrees Celsius even when the air temperature is near freezing, thanks to its exceptional insulation.

Long-Legged Desert Ant

A large, bicolored desert ant with a distinctive red thorax and black head and gaster. Workers are solitary foragers with exceptionally long legs that keep their bodies elevated from hot sand. They are among the most heat-tolerant terrestrial animals.

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Did You Know?

Workers can detect and memorize visual landmarks after just a single exposure, an exceptional feat for an insect brain.