Cellophane Bee vs Great Banded Furrow Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cellophane Bee Great Banded Furrow Bee
Scientific Name Colletes thoracicus Halictus scabiosae
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Colletidae Halictidae
Size 10-12 mm 13-16 mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Woodlands
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Eastern North America Southern and Central Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Cellophane Bee

A spring-flying plasterer bee native to eastern North America with dense reddish-brown thoracic hair. It lines its brood cells with a secreted polyester-like film.

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Did You Know?

The transparent polyester lining it secretes is waterproof, fungus-resistant, and chemically similar to commercial plastic wrap.

Great Banded Furrow Bee

One of Europe's largest halictid bees, with prominent white abdominal hair bands. It is a eusocial species expanding its range northward, likely due to climate warming.

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Did You Know?

Its range has expanded northward by several hundred kilometers in recent decades, making it a clear indicator species for climate change effects on insects.