Western Plant Bug vs Golden Northern Bumble Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Western Plant Bug Golden Northern Bumble Bee
Scientific Name Lygus hesperus Bombus fervidus
Order Hemiptera Hymenoptera
Family Miridae Apidae
Size 5-6 mm 14-20 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Sap Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Western North America Northern and central United States and southern Canada
Conservation Least Concern Vulnerable

Western Plant Bug

A small, oval plant bug that is one of the most important cotton pests in the western United States. It is variable in color from pale green to dark brown. Feeding on cotton squares causes them to abscise, resulting in yield losses.

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Did You Know?

When alfalfa hay is harvested, millions of these bugs take flight simultaneously and can migrate en masse to nearby cotton fields, causing sudden severe damage.

Golden Northern Bumble Bee

A large bumble bee with an almost entirely yellow-furred thorax and anterior abdomen. It is a generalist pollinator found across much of North America.

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Did You Know?

Queens can survive winter temperatures by producing glycerol in their blood, which acts as a natural antifreeze.