Cicada Killer Wasp vs Mountain Bumblebee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cicada Killer Wasp Mountain Bumblebee
Scientific Name Sphecius speciosus Bombus monticola
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Crabronidae Apidae
Size 30-50 mm 12-18 mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Mountains
Diet Predators Nectar Feeders
Regions North America Scandinavia, Scotland, Iceland, alpine regions of Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Cicada Killer Wasp

A large solitary wasp that provisions its burrow with paralyzed cicadas.

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Did You Know?

A female can carry a cicada weighing more than herself in flight back to her burrow.

Mountain Bumblebee

A colorful bumblebee with bright red-orange tail, yellow thorax bands, and a black midriff. It is found at high altitudes and latitudes where it is an important pollinator. Queens are among the earliest bees to emerge.

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Did You Know?

This bumblebee can forage in driving rain and near-gale winds that keep other pollinating insects grounded.