Tree Bumblebee vs Ragweed Leaf Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tree Bumblebee Ragweed Leaf Beetle
Scientific Name Bombus hypnorum Zygogramma suturalis
Order Hymenoptera Coleoptera
Family Apidae Chrysomelidae
Size 11-18mm 6-8 mm
Habitat Woodlands Grasslands
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Europe, Asia North America (native), introduced to Russia, China, Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Tree Bumblebee

A distinctive bumblebee with a brown thorax, black abdomen and white tail. Often nests in bird boxes.

💡

Did You Know?

A recent and rapid colonizer of Britain since 2001, frequently nesting in bird boxes and roof spaces.

Ragweed Leaf Beetle

A brown beetle with dark longitudinal stripes on the elytra, introduced to several countries as a biocontrol agent against common ragweed. Both adults and larvae feed on ragweed foliage.

💡

Did You Know?

It was introduced from North America to the former Soviet Union in the 1970s as biological control against ragweed, a major hay fever allergen source.