Andrena integra

Smith, 1853

Bare Dogwood Miner, short-haired dogwood andrena

Andrena integra is a solitary mining bee in the Andrenidae, commonly known as the Bare Dogwood Miner or short-haired dogwood andrena. It is native to North America and has been documented in the northeastern United States, including Vermont. As a member of the large Andrena, it exhibits typical traits of mining bees: solitary nesting , ground-nesting habits, and role as a . The is distinguished by its association with dogwood (Cornus) plants, as suggested by its .

Andrena integra by (c) Amy Schnebelin, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Amy Schnebelin. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Andrena integra: /ænˈdriːnə ɪnˈteɪɡrə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

The "short-haired dogwood andrena" suggests relatively short compared to other Andrena . Specific diagnostic features distinguishing A. integra from are not documented in available sources. Identification to species level in Andrena typically requires examination of microscopic features including facial foveae structure, scopal hairs, and male genitalia.

Images

Habitat

Based on the and , likely associated with woodland or forest edge where dogwood (Cornus) occur. As a ground-nesting mining bee, requires access to bare or sparsely vegetated soil for nest excavation.

Distribution

North America. Documented from Vermont, United States. GBIF records indicate presence in North America broadly, with specific locality data from Vermont.

Diet

Likely oligolectic or specialized on dogwood (Cornus) based on "dogwood andrena," though this has not been explicitly confirmed. As with most Andrena, females provision nest with pollen and nectar for larval development.

Host Associations

Cornus - probable pollen sourceInferred from ; not explicitly documented

Life Cycle

Typical of Andrena: solitary, with females excavating underground nests consisting of branching tunnels with individual . Each cell is provisioned with pollen and nectar, an is laid, and the cell is sealed. Larvae develop through summer, overwinter as or pupae, and emerge the following spring. Males typically emerge before females.

Behavior

Ground-nesting. Females dig nests in soil and forage for pollen and nectar to provision . Males patrol nesting areas seeking females. As a solitary , does not form colonies or produce .

Ecological Role

, likely of dogwood and potentially other spring-blooming plants. Contributes to function through pollen transfer and serves as prey/ for parasitic bees (Nomada) and other natural enemies.

Similar Taxa

AndrenaOther Andrena share general mining bee and ground-nesting ; distinguished by subtle morphological features and often plant associations

More Details

Data Limitations

Available sources provide minimal -specific information for Andrena integra. Most ecological details are inferred from -level traits of Andrena. The association with dogwood, while strongly suggested by , has not been explicitly documented in scientific literature reviewed.