Blunthorn Bee vs Desert Globe Mallow Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Blunthorn Bee Desert Globe Mallow Bee
Scientific Name Melitta haemorrhoidalis Diadasia diminuta
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Melittidae Apidae
Size 10-13 mm 8-12 mm
Habitat Underground Heathland
Diet Pollen Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, Western Asia North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Blunthorn Bee

A late-summer specialist bee that collects pollen almost exclusively from bellflowers. It has a distinctively short tongue for a melittid bee.

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Did You Know?

Females often become completely dusted in blue bellflower pollen, giving them a striking violet-tinged appearance.

Desert Globe Mallow Bee

A specialist solitary bee that visits only globe mallow flowers in the American Southwest. It lines its underground nest cells with an oily secretion to waterproof them.

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Did You Know?

Its extreme flower loyalty makes it one of the most efficient pollinators of globe mallow plants.