Elm Seed Bug vs Buffish Mining Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Elm Seed Bug Buffish Mining Bee
Scientific Name Arocatus melanocephalus Andrena nigroaenea
Order Hemiptera Hymenoptera
Family Lygaeidae Andrenidae
Size 6-7 mm 12-15 mm
Habitat Underground Underground
Diet Seed Feeders Fruit Feeders
Regions Europe (native), Northwestern North America (invasive) Europe, North Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Elm Seed Bug

A small seed bug native to southern Europe that has become an invasive nuisance pest in the northwestern United States. It aggregates in enormous numbers on and inside buildings in summer and fall.

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Did You Know?

Thousands can invade a single home seeking shelter, producing a foul odor when disturbed or crushed.

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.

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Did You Know?

It sometimes nests in dense aggregations of hundreds of burrows per square meter, creating a moonscape appearance on lawns.