Andrena violae is a solitary mining bee in the Andrenidae, first described by Robertson in 1891. It is native to North America with confirmed records from Vermont and surrounding regions. As a member of the large Andrena, it exhibits the nesting typical of the group, excavating underground tunnels in which to rear its young. The is known to forage on violet (Viola) species, as indicated by its specific epithet.
Images
Distribution
North America; confirmed present in Vermont, United States. GBIF records indicate presence in North America with specific locality data from Vermont.
Diet
Has been observed foraging on violet (Viola) , as suggested by the specific epithet 'violae'.
Ecological Role
As a solitary , likely contributes to pollination of spring-blooming wildflowers, particularly violet .
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- GBIF taxonomy match
- iNaturalist taxon
- NCBI Taxonomy
- Catalogue of Life
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