Rusty Patched Bumble Bee vs Buff Arches

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Rusty Patched Bumble Bee Buff Arches
Scientific Name Bombus affinis Habrosyne pyritoides
Order Hymenoptera Lepidoptera
Family Apidae Drepanidae
Size 13-20 mm 38-43 mm wingspan
Habitat Underground Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Omnivores
Regions Upper Midwest and northeastern United States, now extremely restricted Europe, temperate Asia
Conservation Critically Endangered Least Concern

Rusty Patched Bumble Bee

A once-common bumble bee named for the rust-colored patch on the second abdominal segment of workers. It was the first bumble bee in the continental United States listed as endangered.

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Did You Know?

Its range has shrunk by nearly 87 percent since the 1990s, making it one of the rarest bees in North America.

Buff Arches

A moth with intricate grey, white, and buff patterns creating a complex marbled effect on its forewings. It is closely related to the peach blossom and shares its bramble association.

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Did You Know?

Its wing pattern is so complex that no simple description captures it, leading some to call it 'baroque'.