Common Yellow-face Bee vs European hare

Hylaeus communis compared with Lepus europaeus

Key Differences

  • Common Yellow-face Bee is Least Concern while European hare is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Common Yellow-face Bee European hare
Kingdom same Animalia (Animals) Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) Chordata (Chordates)
Class Insecta (Insects) Mammalia (Mammals)
Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees & Wasps) Lagomorpha (Rabbits & Hares)
Family Colletidae Leporidae (Rabbits & Hares)
Genus Hylaeus Lepus
Species Hylaeus communis Lepus europaeus

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Yellow-face Bee and European hare share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Common Yellow-face Bee

LC — Least Concern

European hare

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Common Yellow-face Bee European hare
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Yellow-face Bee

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

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

European hare

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical coniferous forests, among 7 distinct biome types within the Neotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (10 countries), North America (4 countries), and South America (8 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Common Yellow-face Bee

<em>Hylaeus communis</em>, the common yellow-face bee, is a small solitary bee in the family Colletidae. It is widely distributed across much of Europe and western Asia, where it is one of the most frequently encountered members of its genus. The species inhabits a broad range of open and semi-open habitats including gardens, meadows, hedgerows, heathlands, and woodland edges, often nesting in existing cavities such as hollow plant stems, galls, and old beetle burrows. Adults are small, typically 6–8 mm in length, and are characterized by yellow facial markings on an otherwise black body, the pattern being more extensive in males than females. Biological traits such as average lifespan, precise body weight, and detailed population estimates remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. Unlike many bees, <em>Hylaeus</em> species lack specialized pollen-carrying structures; instead, they transport pollen and nectar internally in their crop. Adults visit a wide variety of flowers for food and are considered polylectic generalists. <em>Hylaeus communis</em> is assessed as Least Concern, reflecting its broad distribution and tolerance of diverse habitats, though it may be affected by loss of nesting sites and floral diversity in intensively managed landscapes.

European hare

European hare (Lepus europaeus) is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List. Close to qualifying as threatened, with populations that may become vulnerable without conservation action.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

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