Red-tailed Bumblebee vs Long-Horned Xiphydriid

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Red-tailed Bumblebee Long-Horned Xiphydriid
Scientific Name Bombus lapidarius Xiphydria prolongata
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Apidae Xiphydriidae
Size 11-22 mm 14-20 mm
Habitat Grasslands Woodlands
Diet Nectar Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions Western Europe, Central Europe, Northern Europe East Asia, Japan
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Red-tailed Bumblebee

A jet-black bumblebee with a vivid orange-red tail that is unmistakable in flight. It commonly nests underground in old mouse burrows and stone walls.

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Did You Know?

Its nest name 'lapidarius' means 'of stones' because it often nests beneath rocks and walls.

Long-Horned Xiphydriid

A slender wood wasp with an exceptionally long neck region and thread-like antennae. The body is dark brown with scattered pale markings.

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Did You Know?

Xiphydriid species in East Asia show greater diversity than in any other region, suggesting this may be the family's center of origin.