Transparent Burnet vs Honey Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Transparent Burnet Honey Bee
Scientific Name Zygaena purpuralis Apis mellifera
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Zygaenidae Apidae
Size 28-35 mm wingspan 12-15 mm
Habitat Grasslands Heathland
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe Worldwide
Conservation Near Threatened Least Concern

Transparent Burnet

A day-flying moth with semi-transparent red-streaked forewings. It is found in calcareous grasslands where wild thyme grows.

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Did You Know?

Its caterpillars feed exclusively on wild thyme, making it entirely dependent on this one plant.

Honey Bee

The worlds most important pollinator. Lives in complex colonies of up to 80,000 individuals with a single queen. Communicates food locations through the waggle dance.

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Did You Know?

A honey bee must visit about 2 million flowers and fly over 88,000 km — equivalent to circling the Earth twice — to produce just one pound of honey.