Large Garden Bumble Bee vs Paper Wasp
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Large Garden Bumble Bee | Paper Wasp |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Bombus ruderatus | Polistes dominula |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Apidae | Vespidae |
| Size | 14-24 mm | 15-20 mm |
| Habitat | Farmland | Underground |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Fruit Feeders |
| Regions | Europe, New Zealand, South America | Europe, worldwide (introduced) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Large Garden Bumble Bee
A long-tongued bumble bee introduced to New Zealand in the early 1900s to pollinate red clover. They have one of the longest tongues of any bumble bee species.
Did You Know?
They were intentionally shipped from England to New Zealand because they were the only bees with tongues long enough to pollinate red clover.
Paper Wasp
Builds open-comb nests from chewed wood fiber mixed with saliva, creating paper-like material. Has a complex social hierarchy with facial pattern recognition between individuals.
Did You Know?
Paper wasps can recognize individual faces — they use facial patterns to identify nestmates and establish dominance hierarchies, one of the few insects known to have face recognition.