Currant Clearwing vs Buffish Mining Bee
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Currant Clearwing | Buffish Mining Bee |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Synanthedon tipuliformis | Andrena nigroaenea |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Sesiidae | Andrenidae |
| Size | 17-22 mm wingspan | 12-15 mm |
| Habitat | Underground | Underground |
| Diet | Omnivores | Fruit Feeders |
| Regions | Europe, temperate Asia (introduced worldwide) | Europe, North Africa |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Currant Clearwing
A small wasp-mimicking moth with transparent wings and a black body banded with yellow. Its larvae bore into the stems of currant and gooseberry bushes.
Did You Know?
Its wasp mimicry is so convincing that gardeners who encounter it rarely realise they are looking at a moth.
Buffish Mining Bee
A large mining bee with a dark metallic body and buff-brown thoracic fur. It is one of the main hosts of the early-flying nomada cuckoo bees.
Did You Know?
It sometimes nests in dense aggregations of hundreds of burrows per square meter, creating a moonscape appearance on lawns.