Heather Mining Bee vs Winnow Ant
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Heather Mining Bee | Winnow Ant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Andrena fuscipes | Aphaenogaster senilis |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Andrenidae | Formicidae |
| Size | 10-12 mm | 5-8 mm |
| Habitat | Heathland | Forests |
| Diet | Pollen Feeders | Seed Feeders |
| Regions | Europe | Southern Europe, North Africa |
| 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.
Winnow Ant
A large, dark Mediterranean ant that is an important seed disperser in scrubland ecosystems. Workers carry seeds with attached nutrient-rich elaiosomes to their nests. They are thermophilic and forage during the hottest part of the day.
Did You Know?
They are responsible for dispersing the seeds of over 30 plant species in Mediterranean ecosystems, making them keystone seed dispersers.