Heather Mining Bee vs Spanish Festoon
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Heather Mining Bee | Spanish Festoon |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Andrena fuscipes | Zerynthia rumina |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Andrenidae | Papilionidae |
| Size | 10-12 mm | 42-52 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Heathland | Heathland |
| Diet | Pollen Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | Europe | Southern Europe |
| Conservation | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
Heather Mining Bee
A late-summer specialist bee that collects pollen almost exclusively from heather and bell heather. It nests in sandy soil on heathlands.
Did You Know?
Its late summer flight season precisely coincides with heather bloom and it is one of the last solitary bees flying in the year.
Spanish Festoon
A brightly patterned butterfly with zigzag black markings and red and yellow patches on its wings. It is a spring-flying species restricted to the western Mediterranean.
Did You Know?
Its caterpillar feeds on toxic birthwort plants, making both larva and adult distasteful to birds.