Andrena krigiana

Robertson, 1901

Dwarf-dandelion Mining Bee, dwarf-dandelion andrena

Andrena krigiana is a solitary mining in the , commonly known as the Dwarf-dandelion Mining Bee. It is a ground-nesting found in North America. As a member of the large Andrena, it exhibits the typical traits of mining bees: females excavate burrows in soil to provision with pollen and nectar for their . The specific epithet and suggest an association with dwarf-dandelion (Krigia species), likely indicating a pollen specialization.

Andrena krigiana by no rights reserved, uploaded by Bruce Cook. Used under a CC0 license.

Andrena krigiana, female, back 2012-08-06-18.10.32 ZS PMax (8115892676) by USGS Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Laboratory from Beltsville, USA. Used under a Public domain license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Andrena krigiana: //ænˈdrɛnə kraɪˈdʒiːɑːnə//

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Habitat

Sandy or well-drained soils suitable for ground nesting. Based on the , likely includes areas where dwarf-dandelion (Krigia) occurs. As a mining , requires exposed or sparsely vegetated ground for nest excavation.

Distribution

North America. Specific records include Vermont, United States.

Diet

Likely oligolectic on dwarf-dandelion (Krigia ) based on , though this has not been explicitly documented in the provided sources.

Host Associations

Krigia - probable pollen sourceInferred from 'dwarf-dandelion mining '; not explicitly confirmed in sources

Life Cycle

Typical of : solitary, with females constructing underground nests containing multiple . Each is provisioned with pollen and nectar, an is laid, and the cell is sealed. develop underground, pupate, and emerge as the following season. Males typically emerge before females.

Behavior

Females are ground-nesters, excavating tunnels in soil. Males likely nesting areas to mate with emerging females. As with other Andrena, are active during spring and early summer.

Ecological Role

, likely with specialized relationship to dwarf-dandelion (Krigia). Contributes to of spring-blooming plants in its .

Similar Taxa

Other Andrena speciesAndrena is a large with many morphologically similar ; precise identification requires examination of microscopic characters such as facial , scopal hairs, and

More Details

Taxonomic note

Described by Charles Robertson in 1901. The specific epithet 'krigiana' refers to the Krigia (dwarf-dandelions), suggesting historical or current association with these plants as pollen sources.

Data availability

This is poorly documented in readily available literature. Only 23 observations recorded on iNaturalist as of source date. Most biological details inferred from -level characteristics of Andrena.