Mexican Twig Ant vs Franklin's Bumble Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Mexican Twig Ant Franklin's Bumble Bee
Scientific Name Pseudomyrmex pallidus Bombus franklini
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Formicidae Apidae
Size 3-5 mm 14-18 mm
Habitat Heathland Mountains
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Southern United States, Mexico, Central America Western United States
Conservation Least Concern Critically Endangered

Mexican Twig Ant

A pale yellowish twig-nesting ant found from the southern United States through Central America. Small colonies occupy single dead twigs or hollow stems.

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Did You Know?

Entire colonies can fit inside a single pencil-width twig, with the queen, brood, and workers all packed together.

Franklin's Bumble Bee

The world's most range-restricted bumble bee, found only in a small area between southern Oregon and northern California. It has not been reliably seen since 2006 and may be extinct.

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Did You Know?

Its entire known range spans only about 190 miles north to south, making it the most geographically restricted bumble bee on Earth.