Margined Colletes vs Orange Sulphur

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.

💡

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

Orange-yellow butterfly with black wing borders and a pink-rimmed silver spot on the hindwing underside. Often hybridizes with Clouded Sulphur.

💡

It became vastly more abundant after European settlers introduced alfalfa farming across North America.