Common Eastern Bumble Bee vs Common Fieldcap

Bombus impatiens compared with Agrocybe pediades

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Eastern Bumble Bee	Common Fieldcap
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees & Wasps)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Apidae (Bees)	Strophariaceae
Genus	Bombus	Agrocybe
Species	Bombus impatiens	Agrocybe pediades

Conservation Status

Common Eastern Bumble Bee

LC — Least Concern

Common Fieldcap

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Eastern Bumble Bee	Common Fieldcap
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Eastern Bumble Bee

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Mexico and United States.

Common Fieldcap

Habitat

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

Range

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

Common Eastern Bumble Bee

<em>Bombus impatiens</em>, the common eastern bumble bee, is a native North American bee in the family Apidae, classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. The species is distributed across Mexico and the United States, typically inhabiting virtually all terrestrial and freshwater biomes within its range, from urban gardens and agricultural landscapes to forests, meadows, and wetland edges. As one of the most abundant and ecologically important pollinators in eastern North America, <em>Bombus impatiens</em> plays a critical role in the pollination of both wild plants and commercial crops, including tomatoes, peppers, and blueberries. It is among the most widely used bumble bee species for commercial greenhouse pollination globally. The species forms annual colonies founded by a single mated queen in early spring, with worker populations typically peaking in midsummer before new queens and males are produced in late summer. Common eastern bumble bees are capable of buzz pollination, or sonication, vibrating their flight muscles at a specific frequency to release pollen from anthers that resist wind or conventional bee pollination. While currently assessed as Least Concern, habitat loss, pesticide exposure, and pathogen spillover from commercial colonies are ongoing concerns for wild populations. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Common Fieldcap

The Common Fieldcap (<em>Agrocybe pediades</em>) is a saprotrophic fungus belonging to the genus Agrocybe within the family Strophariaceae. It typically produces small, tan to pale brown cap-shaped fruiting bodies and is often found growing in clusters or scattered on lawns, grassy areas, forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil-rich ecosystems. The species typically inhabits forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems, obtaining nutrients by breaking down dead organic matter. Its geographic range includes several European countries — Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden — as well as the United States in North America. <em>Agrocybe pediades</em> is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, reflecting its broad distribution and apparent stability. Biological traits of this species, including specific data on fruiting body size, lifespan, and ecological preferences, remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. Like other members of its genus, it typically fruits during warmer months and often appears after rainfall in nutrient-rich grassland and woodland habitats.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇺🇸 United States