Alfken's Mini-miner vs common wave

Andrena alfkenella compared with Cabera exanthemata

Key Differences

• Alfken's Mini-miner is Near Threatened while common wave is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Alfken's Mini-miner	common wave
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees & Wasps)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Andrenidae	Geometridae
Genus	Andrena	Cabera
Species	Andrena alfkenella	Cabera exanthemata

Evolutionary Relationship

Alfken's Mini-miner and common wave share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (Insects)

Conservation Status

Alfken's Mini-miner

NT — Near Threatened

common wave

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Alfken's Mini-miner	common wave
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alfken's Mini-miner

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

common wave

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Alfken's Mini-miner

The Alfken's Mini-miner (Andrena alfkenella) is a species in the genus Andrena. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

common wave

<em>Cabera exanthemata</em>, commonly known as the common wave, is a moth in the family Geometridae, distributed across much of Europe, with confirmed records from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, indicating a stable population with no major threats currently identified. The species is associated with deciduous woodland habitats, particularly areas with abundant birch, alder, and willow trees, which serve as larval host plants. Adults are pale whitish-gray with a series of fine, wavy darker cross-lines on the wings — a pattern typical of many geometrid moths that provides camouflage against lichen-covered tree bark. <em>Cabera exanthemata</em> typically produces two or three generations per year depending on latitude, with adults typically on the wing from May through August. Larvae feed on the foliage of various deciduous trees and overwinter as pupae in the soil or leaf litter. The species is primarily nocturnal as an adult, attracted to light sources during flight periods. Biological traits including average lifespan, wingspan dimensions, and mass remain poorly documented in standardized databases. Ecologically, the common wave contributes to forest food webs as both a herbivore during its larval stage and as a food resource for insectivorous birds and bats during its adult flight period throughout its temperate European and North American range.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden