Pearly-banded Bee vs Bronze Furrow Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Pearly-banded Bee Bronze Furrow Bee
Scientific Name Nomia melanderi Halictus tumulorum
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Halictidae Halictidae
Size 8-10 mm 6-8 mm
Habitat Farmland Tundra & Arctic
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Western North America Europe, Asia, North Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Pearly-banded Bee

A ground-nesting bee with pearly white abdominal bands vital for alfalfa pollination. Large nesting aggregations in alkaline soils can contain millions of individuals.

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Did You Know?

Farmers in the Pacific Northwest actively manage nesting sites to boost alfalfa seed yields.

Bronze Furrow Bee

A small, dark metallic furrow bee with a subtle bronze sheen widespread across the Palearctic. It is primitively eusocial with small colonies.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the most ubiquitous wild bees in Europe and can be found foraging in virtually any flower-rich habitat from sea level to mountaintops.