chrysanthemum aphid vs Cliff Mining Bee

Macrosiphoniella sanborni compared with Andrena thoracica

Key Differences

• chrysanthemum aphid is Not Evaluated while Cliff Mining Bee is Extinct.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	chrysanthemum aphid	Cliff Mining Bee
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Hemiptera (Hemiptera)	Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees & Wasps)
Family	Aphididae	Andrenidae
Genus	Macrosiphoniella	Andrena
Species	Macrosiphoniella sanborni	Andrena thoracica

Evolutionary Relationship

chrysanthemum aphid and Cliff Mining Bee share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (Insects)

Conservation Status

chrysanthemum aphid

NE — Not Evaluated

Cliff Mining Bee

EX — Extinct

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	chrysanthemum aphid	Cliff Mining Bee
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

chrysanthemum aphid

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Cyprus, Israel, Taiwan), Europe (31 countries), and North America (United States).

Cliff Mining Bee

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden.

chrysanthemum aphid

The chrysanthemum aphid (Macrosiphoniella sanborni) is a soft-bodied insect in the family Aphididae, a specialist pest of cultivated and wild Chrysanthemum species and related members of the family Asteraceae. It is a dark brown to reddish-black aphid, distinguishing it from many green or pale aphids, and infests the shoots, leaves, and flower buds of its host plants. Like other aphids, Macrosiphoniella sanborni feeds by inserting its stylet mouthparts into plant tissue to extract phloem sap, depriving the host of carbohydrates and amino acids. Heavy infestations cause stunting, leaf curl, distortion, and reduction in flower quality and yield, making it a significant pest in the commercial chrysanthemum industry worldwide. The species can reproduce parthenogenetically — females producing live young without fertilization — and populations can build rapidly under warm greenhouse conditions. Chrysanthemum aphids excrete honeydew, which supports the growth of black sooty mold on plant surfaces, further reducing photosynthesis and ornamental value. They may also transmit plant viruses during feeding. Natural predators including ladybirds, lacewings, and parasitoid wasps provide biological control, though chemical aphicides are frequently used in commercial cultivation.

Cliff Mining Bee

The Cliff Mining Bee, Andrena species in the family Andrenidae, is a solitary ground-nesting bee that excavates tunnels in cliff faces, earthen banks, and compacted sandy or loamy soils, where the loose or friable substrates exposed in cliff profiles provide ideal nesting conditions. Mining bees in the genus Andrena are among the most species-rich solitary bee genera in the world, with hundreds of species across the Holarctic region, many narrowly specialized in their choice of pollen host plants. Female cliff mining bees construct vertical or angled burrows in cliff faces, with lateral cells off the main shaft, each containing a pollen ball and a single egg. Males are typically smaller and emerge before females to establish territories near nesting sites. Many Andrena species are oligolectic, collecting pollen from only a small number of plant species, making their populations sensitive to the availability of specific flowering plants in the landscape surrounding nesting areas. Cliff and bank nesting habitats provide well-drained, sun-warmed substrates essential for brood development. The loss of natural cliff faces and earthen banks to development, vegetation succession, and quarrying reduces available nesting habitat for cliff mining bees.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden