Cliff Mining Bee vs Common Marbled Carpet

Andrena thoracica compared with Dysstroma truncata

Key Differences

• Cliff Mining Bee is Extinct while Common Marbled Carpet is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cliff Mining Bee	Common Marbled Carpet
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	Dysstroma
Species	Andrena thoracica	Dysstroma truncata

Evolutionary Relationship

Cliff Mining Bee and Common Marbled Carpet share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (Insects)

Conservation Status

Cliff Mining Bee

EX — Extinct

Common Marbled Carpet

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cliff Mining Bee	Common Marbled Carpet
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cliff Mining Bee

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden.

Common Marbled Carpet

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (4 countries) and North America (Canada, United States).

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.

Common Marbled Carpet

<em>Dysstroma truncata</em>, the common marbled carpet, is a geometrid moth in the family Geometridae distributed across Europe and North America. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, reflecting stable populations across its wide temperate range. The species is typically found in woodland, hedgerow, and garden habitats where its larval food plants are present. Its wings display complex, marbled patterns in shades of brown, grey, and white, providing effective camouflage against tree bark and leaf litter. Adults are typically nocturnal and are recorded from spring through autumn, with multiple generations possible in warmer parts of its range. Larvae feed on a variety of deciduous plants including bilberry, heather, and various shrubs. The common marbled carpet is a familiar species to moth recorders across temperate Europe and North America, where it is frequently encountered at light traps. Its widespread distribution and habitat generalism contribute to its secure conservation status across both continents.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden