Mountain Bumblebee vs Cassava Mealybug Parasitoid

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Mountain Bumblebee Cassava Mealybug Parasitoid
Scientific Name Bombus monticola Anagyrus lopezi
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Apidae Encyrtidae
Size 12-18 mm 1-2 mm
Habitat Mountains Farmland
Diet Nectar Feeders Parasitoids
Regions Scandinavia, Scotland, Iceland, alpine regions of Europe Africa, South America (native)
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Mountain Bumblebee

A colorful bumblebee with bright red-orange tail, yellow thorax bands, and a black midriff. It is found at high altitudes and latitudes where it is an important pollinator. Queens are among the earliest bees to emerge.

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Did You Know?

This bumblebee can forage in driving rain and near-gale winds that keep other pollinating insects grounded.

Cassava Mealybug Parasitoid

A tiny encyrtid wasp credited with saving Africa's cassava crop from devastating mealybug infestations. It was introduced from South America in the 1980s as a biological control agent.

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Did You Know?

Its release across Africa is considered one of the most successful biological control programs in history, saving millions from famine.