Margined Colletes vs European Velvet Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Margined Colletes

A small, pale plasterer bee found in sandy coastal habitats across Europe. It nests in loose sand and forages on wild mignonette and sea holly.

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Its dependence on both sandy nesting substrate and specialized coastal food plants makes it doubly vulnerable to habitat loss.

A robust wingless wasp with black and orange-red banding and dense velvety hair. Females enter bumblebee nests to lay eggs on their pupae.

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It is one of the few insects that specifically targets bumblebee nests, sneaking in while the colony is less active.