Andrena anisochlora

Cockerell, 1936

Miner's Lettuce Miner

Andrena anisochlora is a solitary mining bee in the Andrenidae, first described by Cockerell in 1936. Like other Andrena , it is a ground-nesting that excavates tunnels in soil to create nest provisioned with pollen for its larvae. The "Miner's Lettuce Miner" suggests a likely association with Claytonia perfoliata (miner's lettuce) as a pollen or nectar source. It is part of the diverse Andrena , which contains over 1,500 species worldwide and represents one of the most speciose bee genera in North America.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Andrena anisochlora: /ænˈdriːnə æˌnaɪsoʊˈklɔːrə/

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Distribution

North America

Host Associations

Claytonia perfoliata - likely pollen/nectar sourceInferred from "Miner's Lettuce Miner"; not confirmed in primary literature

More Details

Nomenclature note

The specific epithet "anisochlora" derives from Greek roots: "aniso-" (unequal) and "chlora" (green), possibly referring to coloration or a perceived characteristic at the time of description. The "Miner's Lettuce Miner" is used on iNaturalist but appears to be of recent origin rather than traditional usage.

Data availability

This has limited published ecological data. Most Andrena species are poorly studied individually, with -level characteristics often assumed but not verified per species. The 77 iNaturalist observations suggest it is documented but not commonly encountered.