Lily Beetle vs Rusty Patched Bumble Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Lily Beetle Rusty Patched Bumble Bee
Scientific Name Lilioceris lilii Bombus affinis
Order Coleoptera Hymenoptera
Family Chrysomelidae Apidae
Size 6-8 mm 13-20 mm
Habitat Underground Underground
Diet Herbivores Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia; invasive in North America Upper Midwest and northeastern United States, now extremely restricted
Conservation Not Evaluated Critically Endangered

Lily Beetle

A bright scarlet beetle that is a destructive pest of lilies and fritillaries. Larvae camouflage themselves by covering their bodies with their own excrement.

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Did You Know?

When picked up, adults squeak by rubbing body parts together in a behavior called stridulation.

Rusty Patched Bumble Bee

A once-common bumble bee named for the rust-colored patch on the second abdominal segment of workers. It was the first bumble bee in the continental United States listed as endangered.

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Did You Know?

Its range has shrunk by nearly 87 percent since the 1990s, making it one of the rarest bees in North America.