Andrenine Bee vs Collared Earthstar

Andrena wilkella compared with Geastrum triplex

Key Differences

• Andrenine Bee is Least Concern while Collared Earthstar is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Andrenine Bee	Collared Earthstar
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees & Wasps)	Geastrales (Geastrales)
Family	Andrenidae	Geastraceae
Genus	Andrena	Geastrum
Species	Andrena wilkella	Geastrum triplex

Conservation Status

Andrenine Bee

LC — Least Concern

Collared Earthstar

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Andrenine Bee	Collared Earthstar
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Andrenine Bee

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States).

Collared Earthstar

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Brazil, Norway, and United States. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Andrenine Bee

The Andrenine Bee (Andrena wilkella) is a species in the genus Andrena. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Collared Earthstar

<em>Geastrum triplex</em>, the Collared Earthstar, is a gasteroid fungus in the family Geastraceae, order Geastrales. This species is assessed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, indicating that it may be at risk of qualifying for a threatened category in the near future. It has been recorded in Belgium, Brazil, Norway, and the United States, and is associated with forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil. Earthstars in the genus <em>Geastrum</em> are recognized by their distinctive star-shaped fruiting bodies, formed when the outer wall splits and folds back into ray-like segments to reveal an inner spore sac. <em>Geastrum triplex</em> is distinguished by the formation of a collar or cup-like structure around the base of the inner spore sac, which gives rise to its common name. Like other gasteroid fungi, it disperses spores through an apical pore in the spore sac. Population estimates and trend data are not available. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. Its Near Threatened status may reflect sensitivity to habitat disturbance and forest management practices.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway 🇺🇸 United States