Plasterer Bee vs Northern Bumblebee
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Plasterer Bee | Northern Bumblebee |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Colletes hederae | Bombus hyperboreus |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Colletidae | Apidae |
| Size | 10-13 mm | 18-24 mm |
| Habitat | Beaches & Coastal | Heathland |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Parasites |
| Regions | Europe | Canadian Arctic, Greenland, Svalbard, northern Scandinavia, Arctic Russia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Plasterer Bee
A solitary bee discovered in 1993 that is a specialist pollinator of ivy flowers.
Did You Know?
It lines its brood cells with a waterproof cellophane-like secretion.
Northern Bumblebee
A very large, heavily furred bumblebee with orange and black coloring. It is a social parasite that takes over colonies of Bombus polaris. Queens are notably larger than their host species.
Did You Know?
This is the most northerly bumblebee in the world and is a cuckoo bee that kills or subjugates Bombus polaris queens to take over their nests.