Silver Birch Web-Spinning Sawfly vs Red-tailed Bumblebee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Silver Birch Web-Spinning Sawfly Red-tailed Bumblebee
Scientific Name Pamphilius sylvaticus Bombus lapidarius
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Pamphiliidae Apidae
Size 9-12 mm 11-22 mm
Habitat Woodlands Grasslands
Diet Herbivores Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe Western Europe, Central Europe, Northern Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Silver Birch Web-Spinning Sawfly

A flat-bodied sawfly with long filiform antennae and a broad head. Larvae roll or fold birch leaves with silk and feed within the shelters.

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Did You Know?

The flattened body shape of pamphiliid sawflies is an adaptation that allows adults to squeeze into tight spaces in leaf litter and bark crevices.

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.