Blunthorn Bee vs Short-winged Firefly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Blunthorn Bee Short-winged Firefly
Scientific Name Melitta haemorrhoidalis Lucidota atra
Order Hymenoptera Coleoptera
Family Melittidae Lampyridae
Size 10-13 mm 8-13 mm
Habitat Underground Underground
Diet Pollen Feeders Herbivores
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.

Short-winged Firefly

A dark-bodied, day-active firefly that has lost the ability to produce light as an adult. It has a black body with a reddish-orange pronotum and is often found on tree trunks and vegetation.

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Did You Know?

Despite being a firefly, this diurnal species relies on chemical pheromones rather than light signals to find mates.