Squash Bee vs High Brown Fritillary

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Squash Bee High Brown Fritillary
Scientific Name Peponapis pruinosa Fabriciana adippe
Order Hymenoptera Lepidoptera
Family Apidae Nymphalidae
Size 12-14 mm 55-65 mm wingspan
Habitat Farmland Grasslands
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions North America, Central America Western Europe, Central Europe, Southern Europe
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Squash Bee

A solitary ground-nesting bee that specializes exclusively in pollinating squash, pumpkin, and gourd flowers. It begins foraging before dawn when cucurbit flowers first open.

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Did You Know?

Males often sleep inside closed squash blossoms at night, occasionally getting trapped when the flower wilts.

High Brown Fritillary

A large, fast-flying fritillary with rich tawny-orange wings and a complex pattern of silver spots beneath. It is one of Europe's most rapidly declining butterflies.

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Did You Know?

In Britain it is the country's most endangered butterfly, having lost over 80% of its colonies.