Large Rose Sawfly vs Northern Bumblebee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Large Rose Sawfly Northern Bumblebee
Scientific Name Arge pagana Bombus hyperboreus
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Argidae Apidae
Size 7-10 mm (adult) 18-24 mm
Habitat Gardens Heathland
Diet Herbivores Parasites
Regions Europe, Asia Canadian Arctic, Greenland, Svalbard, northern Scandinavia, Arctic Russia
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Large Rose Sawfly

A conspicuous sawfly whose larvae skeletonize rose leaves in gardens and parks. Adults are stout and black with an orange abdomen.

💡

Did You Know?

Larvae curl into an S-shape when disturbed and drop from the leaf as a defense mechanism.

Northern Bumblebee

A very large, heavily furred bumblebee with orange and black coloring. It is a social parasite that takes over colonies of Bombus polaris. Queens are notably larger than their host species.

💡

Did You Know?

This is the most northerly bumblebee in the world and is a cuckoo bee that kills or subjugates Bombus polaris queens to take over their nests.