Ashy Mining Bee vs Kaempfer Cicada

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Ashy Mining Bee Kaempfer Cicada
Scientific Name Andrena cineraria Platypleura kaempferi
Order Hymenoptera Hemiptera
Family Andrenidae Cicadidae
Size 10-14 mm 22-28 mm
Habitat Underground Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions Western Europe, Central Europe, Northern Europe Japan, Korea, Eastern China
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Ashy Mining Bee

A striking black and grey solitary bee with silvery-white hair bands on its thorax. It nests in compacted soil and is one of the first bees to appear in spring.

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Did You Know?

Large aggregations of hundreds of nest holes can appear suddenly on garden lawns in April.

Kaempfer Cicada

A small cicada with cryptic bark-like coloration and a distinctive rattling call. It is named after the German naturalist Engelbert Kaempfer who studied Japanese natural history.

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Did You Know?

Known as 'niiniizemi' in Japan, it is one of the first cicadas to begin calling in early summer, heralding the start of the cicada season.