Golden Northern Bumble Bee vs European Xiphydriid

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Golden Northern Bumble Bee European Xiphydriid
Scientific Name Bombus fervidus Xiphydria longicollis
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Apidae Xiphydriidae
Size 14-20 mm 12-18 mm
Habitat Farmland Woodlands
Diet Nectar Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions Northern and central United States and southern Canada Europe
Conservation Vulnerable Least Concern

Golden Northern Bumble Bee

A large bumble bee with an almost entirely yellow-furred thorax and anterior abdomen. It is a generalist pollinator found across much of North America.

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Did You Know?

Queens can survive winter temperatures by producing glycerol in their blood, which acts as a natural antifreeze.

European Xiphydriid

A slender wood wasp with a notably elongated pronotum giving it a long-necked appearance. The body is dark with pale lateral spots on the abdomen.

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Did You Know?

The elongated 'neck' that gives xiphydriids their distinctive appearance is actually an elongation of the pronotum, unique among wood wasps.