Andrena distans

Provancher, 1888

Distant Miner Bee, Cranesbill Miner

Andrena distans is a solitary mining bee in the Andrenidae. It is native to North America, with records from Vermont and broader North American distribution. The is commonly associated with Geranium maculatum (wild geranium) flowers, which has earned it the 'Cranesbill Miner.' As a ground-nesting solitary , it excavates tunnels in soil to provision with pollen and nectar for its larvae.

Andrena distans, F, Side, VA, Gales County 2014-01-23-16.37.47 ZS PMax by Sam Droege. Used under a Public domain license.Cranesbill Miner - Andrena distans on Wild Geranium - Geranium maculatum, Green Ridge State Forest, Flintstone, Maryland, May 22, 2023 (53335213377) by Judy Gallagher. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.Andrena distans, F, Back2, VA, Gales County 2014-01-24-14.16.58 ZS PMax (15398934284) by USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab from Beltsville, Maryland, USA. Used under a Public domain license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Andrena distans: /ænˈdɹiːnə ˈdɪstəns/

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Distribution

North America; specifically recorded from Vermont, United States. GBIF and iNaturalist data confirm presence in North America.

Diet

Pollen and nectar collected from flowers, with documented association with Geranium maculatum (wild geranium).

Host Associations

  • Geranium maculatum - foragingcommonly found on these flowers

Life Cycle

Solitary with ground-nesting habit. Females excavate tunnels in soil, provision individual with pollen and nectar, lay , and seal cells. Larvae develop in dry, warm soil conditions.

Ecological Role

of spring wildflowers, particularly Geranium maculatum. Contributes to pollen transfer and plant in forest and woodland edge .

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Sources and further reading