Giant Resin Bee vs Common Eastern Bumble Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Giant Resin Bee Common Eastern Bumble Bee
Scientific Name Megachile sculpturalis Bombus impatiens
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Megachilidae Apidae
Size 14-24 mm 8-23 mm
Habitat Woodlands Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions East Asia, North America, Europe Eastern North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Giant Resin Bee

A large solitary bee originally from East Asia now invasive in North America and Europe. It uses tree resin and mud to seal its nesting cavities.

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Did You Know?

It was first detected in the US in 1994 and has spread rapidly across the eastern states.

Common Eastern Bumble Bee

A robust fuzzy bumble bee with a black body and yellow thoracic band that is widely used as a commercial greenhouse pollinator. It is the most abundant bumble bee in eastern North America.

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Did You Know?

It can perform buzz pollination by vibrating its flight muscles at a specific frequency to shake pollen from flowers like tomatoes.