Bee Beetle vs Japanese Honeybee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Bee Beetle Japanese Honeybee
Scientific Name Trichius fasciatus Apis cerana japonica
Order Coleoptera Hymenoptera
Family Scarabaeidae Apidae
Size 9-13 mm 10-13 mm
Habitat Underground Underground
Diet Pollen Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe East Asia, Japan
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Bee Beetle

A fuzzy, yellow-and-black banded beetle that closely resembles a bumblebee. Adults visit flowers and feed on pollen.

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Did You Know?

Its bumblebee mimicry is so convincing that it is often mistaken for the real thing.

Japanese Honeybee

The Japanese subspecies of the Eastern honeybee, known as 'nihon-mitsubachi.' Smaller and darker than the European honeybee. Famous for its unique defensive behavior against giant hornets.

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Did You Know?

Japanese honeybees can form a thermal ball around a hornet scout, vibrating their flight muscles to raise the temperature to lethal levels for the hornet.