Andrena obscuripennis

Smith, 1853

Dark-winged Miner Bee

Andrena obscuripennis is a solitary mining bee in the Andrenidae, known as the Dark-winged Miner . The is native to eastern North America with a documented range spanning the southeastern United States and southern Ontario, Canada. Very little is known about its or . A single individual was collected within 0.5 m of the ground in a Georgia study on bee heights, suggesting low foraging or nesting activity.

Female Andrena (Melandrena) obscuripennis lateral by Katherine Parys, Terry Griswold, Harold W Ikerd, Michael Christopher Orr. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Andrena obscuripennis (50082235473) by Christina Butler from Georgia, United States. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Female Andrena (Melandrena) obscuripennis dorsal by Katherine Parys, Terry Griswold, Harold W Ikerd, Michael Christopher Orr. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Andrena obscuripennis: //ænˈdriːnə ɒbˌskjʊəˈrɪpənɪs//

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

Identification

The specific epithet "obscuripennis" (dark-winged) suggests darkened wing coloration as a potential distinguishing feature, though no detailed morphological description is available in the provided sources. As with other Andrena , identification likely requires examination of microscopic features such as facial foveae, scopal hairs, and genitalia structure.

Images

Distribution

Documented from Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Ontario, Canada. Records from New Jersey and Louisiana cited in historical literature could not be validated. Additional unverified records exist from coastal South Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland in online repositories.

Behavior

One individual was observed flying within 0.5 m of the ground in a Georgia study; no individuals were collected in the . This suggests ground-level activity, consistent with the nesting habits typical of the Andrena, though direct observation of nesting has not been documented for this .

More Details

Data Deficiency

The Wikipedia source explicitly states that 'little is known about the or of this .' This data deficiency is notable for a species described in 1853.

Taxonomic Validation Issues

Historical distribution records from New Jersey and Louisiana, originally included in Mitchell's works on eastern U.S. bees, could not be validated upon review, highlighting ongoing challenges in .