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Andrena distans Provancher, 1888
Andrena g maculati Robertson, 1897; Andrena geranimaculati Viereck, 1907; Ptilandrena g maculati (Robertson, 1897)

Life   Insecta   Hymenoptera   Apoidea   Andrenidae   Andrena
Subgenus: Ptilandrena



Andrena distans, F, Face, VA, Gales County
© Copyright source/photographer · 7
Andrena distans, F, Face, VA, Gales County

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Andrena distans FEM CFP comp
© Copyright Laurence Packer 2014 · 7
Andrena distans FEM CFP comp
Andrena distans MALE CFP comp
© Copyright Laurence Packer 2014 · 7
Andrena distans MALE CFP comp

Andrena distans, f on Geranium --
Michael Veit · 6
Andrena distans, f on Geranium --
Andrena distans, f on Geranium --
Michael Veit · 6
Andrena distans, f on Geranium --

Andrena distans, f on Geranium --
Michael Veit · 6
Andrena distans, f on Geranium --
Andrena distans, f on Geranium --
Michael Veit · 6
Andrena distans, f on Geranium --

Andrena distans, f on Geranium --
Michael Veit · 6
Andrena distans, f on Geranium --
Andrena distans, f on Geranium --
Michael Veit · 6
Andrena distans, f on Geranium --

Andrena distans, F, Back, VA, Gales County
© Copyright source/photographer · 5
Andrena distans, F, Back, VA, Gales County
Andrena distans, F, Back, VA, Gales County
© Copyright source/photographer · 5
Andrena distans, F, Back, VA, Gales County

Andrena distans, andrenine bee
© Copyright John Ascher, 2006-2014 · 4
Andrena distans, andrenine bee
Andrena distans, male, cheek
© Rebekah Andrus Nelson · 2
Andrena distans, male, cheek

Andrena distans, figure27d
Mitchell, Bees of the Eastern United States, Vol. I, 1960 · 1
Andrena distans, figure27d
Andrena distans, female, face
© Rebekah Andrus Nelson · 1
Andrena distans, female, face

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Andrena distans – A somewhat common vernal bee that looks quite similar to Andrena erigeniae.  It can be readily separated from A. erigeniae as it flies later in the year in May and June, specializes on Geranium sp. flowers, and with clypeus and tergites more shining with some small pits visible.  Labral process??



Overview
Reprinted with permission of the American Entomological Society from: LaBerge, W. E. 1987. A revision of the bees of the genus Andrena of the Western Hemisphere. Part XII. Subgenera Leucandrena, Ptilandrena, Scoliandrena and Melandrena. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 112: 191-248.

Please report text errors to: Leah at Discoverlife dot org.

This small species is unlike Andrena erigeniae in that both sexes have narrow, pointed, shiny galeae, relatively short maxillary palpi, and slightly taller vertices. In fact, because of the short palpal segments and the highly plumose tibial scopal hairs, it is similar to some species of the subgenus Callandrena. However, both sexes of distans have well-formed pronotal angles and dorsoventral ridges. This last character, together with the narrow facial foveae of the female, seems to indicate a relationship with erigeniae and the present author prefers to leave these species together in the subgenus Ptilandrena.

FEMALE. MEASUREMENTS AND RATIOS. N = 20; length, 7-10 mm; width, 2.5-3.0 mm; wing length, M = 3.27 0.121 mm; FL/FW, M = 1.00 0.005; FOVL/FOVW. M = 4.15 0.069.

INTEGUMENTAL COLOR. Black except as follows: mandible with apical third dark rufescent; flagellar segments below dark brown basally to pale brown apically with membranes hyaline, veins brown; tibial spurs testaceous; metasomal tergal apical areas hyaline, yellow; sterna 2-5 with narrow apical areas hyaline, yellow.

STRUCTURE. Antennal scape length equal to first four flagellar segments; flagellar segment 1 as long as succeeding two and one-half segments; segment I broader than long, about as long as 3; segments 4 and 5 quadrate; segments 6-10 longer than broad. Eyes each about three and one-third limes as long as broad, inner margins parallel. Mandible when closed surpassing midlabrum by one-fount length. Malar space linear. Galea narrow, spear-shaped; surface shiny. Maxillary palpus surpasses galea by last two segments or slightly less; segmental ratio about as 1.0:1.0:0.8:0.8:0.7:0.8. Labial palpus short, segmental ratio about as 1.0:0.7:0.5:0.7. Labral process more than twice as long as broad, trapezoidal with weak apical emargination, apical margin turned outwards or thickened, forming transverse depression basally; labrum apical to process with distinct transverse sulcus, without cristae. Clypeus with small shallow punctures separated mostly by one puncture width or more, sparser posteromedially; surface often shiny and unshagreened in apical half, usually weakly to coarsely shagreened. Supraclypeal area dulled by dense minute punctures. Face above antennal fossae with fine longitudinal rugulae reaching ocelli and minute interrugal punctures. Vertex above lateral ocellus equals about one ocellar diameter, dull, tessellate. Facial fovea long, narrow, reaching to just below a line at lower margins antennal fossae, separated from lateral ocellus by about one ocellar diameter or more. Genal area in profile slightly broader than eye, rounded posteriorly; surface dull, shagreened and finely punctate.

Pronotum laterally with distinct humeral angle, dorsoventral ridge present but weak in lower half; surface posterior to ridge shiny, otherwise dulled by reticular shagreening. Mesoscutum with punctures separated by half to two puncture widths, surface tessellate but occasionally moderately shiny posteromedially. Scutellum similar to mesoscutum. Propodeum with dorsal enclosure opaque, evenly tessellate; outside of enclosure tessellate but with large shallow punctures roughening surface. Mesepisternum dull, tessellate, with shallow punctures separated mostly by one to two puncture widths.

Metasomal terga 1-4 with basal areas with minute sparse punctures, surfaces shiny to moderately shiny, shagreening dense only basally on each tergum; apical areas impunctate or punctures minute, sparse; surfaces shiny. Pygidial plate V-shaped, broad at base, with raised internal triangular area well separated from margins. Sterna 2-5 with small punctures separated mostly by two to three puncture widths except near base of each sternum; surfaces more or less dulled by fine tessellation; apical areas narrow, impunctate, tessellate.

vestiture. White except as follows: outer surface basitarsi brown; basitibial plates brown. Metasomal tergal apical fasciae weak, usually interrupted medially on terga 2 and 3. Pollen-collecting hairs as in erigeniae but trochanteral flocculus incomplete, basal half or more with short hairs and tibial scopal hairs less dense.

MALE. MEASUREMENTS AND RATIOS. N = 20; length, 7-9 mm; width, 1.5-2.0 mm; wing length, M = 2.84 0.138 mm; FL/FW, M = 0.96 0.005; F.SI/F.S2, M = 2.30 0.048.

INTEGUMENTAL COLOR. As in female but wing veins often yellowish brown; terga 2-5 with apical areas usually rufescent basally and broadly hyaline apically.

STRUCTURE. Antennae short, female-like, barely reaching scutellum in repose or shorter; scape length equals first two and three-fourths flagellar segments; flagellar segment 1 as long as or slightly longer than segments 2 and 3 together; segment 2 broader than long; segments 3 and 4 quadrate; segments 5-11 longer than broad. Eyes each about three and one-fourth times as long as broad, inner margins parallel to diverging slightly toward vertex. Mandibles long, decussate. Galeae, maxillary palpi, labial palpi and malar space as in female. Labral process as in female but often broader and apical margin thickened; labrum apical to process flat. Clypeus with distinct punctures separated mostly by half to one puncture width, occasionally sparse along midline; surface shagreened. Supraclypeal area, face above antennal fossae and vertex as in female. Genal area broad, in profile much broader than eye (about as 3:2), broadest opposite lower third of eye; sculptured as in female.

Pronotum as in female but dorsoventral ridge more distinct. Thoracic sculpturing as in female but mesoscutum usually opaque, tessellation dense.

Metasomal terga 1-5 weakly punctate basally, if at all, shiny to moderately shiny: apical areas impunctate, shiny. Tergum 7 without pygidium-like area. Sterna 2-5 with basal area punctures minute, sparse; apical areas impunctate; surfaces dulled by reticular shagreening. Sternum 6 flat, not reflexed apicolaterally. Penis valves short and blunt-tipped; dorsal lobe of gonocoxite long, blunt. Sternum 7 shallowly emarginate with rounded lateral lobes. Sternum 8 entire apically (Figs. 41-45).

VESTITURE. Generally white, as in female but lacking pollen-collecting hairs; sterna 2-5 without subapical fimbriae or, if present, weak and composed of sparse short hairs.




Reprinted with permission from: Mitchell, T.B. 1960. Bees of the Eastern United States. North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Bulletin No. 141.



FEMALE. Length 8 mm.; clypeus very slightly convex, projecting about one-third below suborbital line, dull and finely tessellate, punctures shallow and rather fine, well separated medially, becoming quite close laterally, with a very narrow and indistinct, median, impunctate line; facial foveae rather narrow, occupying above slightly more than half of space between eyes and ocelli, covered with whitish tomentum; space between margin of vertex and lateral ocelli subequal to their diameter; cheeks somewhat broader than eyes, rounded posteriorly, rather dull, punctures exceedingly minute, obscure and quite sparse; malar space very short; basal segment of flagellum slightly longer than 2nd and 3rd combined; process of labrum rather large, median length about half the basal width, narrowed apically to the more or less broadly truncate apex; pubescence of head, thorax and legs entirely greyish-white; thoracic integument dull and finely tessellate, punctures of scutum very shallow and rather fine, well separated even anteriorly, becoming somewhat more sparse toward middle posteriorly, those on scutellum fine, obscure and well separated; punctures of pleura very obscure and indefinite; dorsal area of propodeum oblique, the triangle densely tessellate; propodeal corbicula poorly developed, rather short and thin, without a distinct anterior fringe; trochanteral floccus short and poorly developed; hind tibiae slender and elongate, apex somewhat broader than the narrow basitarsi, scopa thin, hairs elongate, erect, very finely plumose, entirely white, front and middle basitarsi considerably narrower than their respective tibiae; 2nd submarginal cell much shorter than 3rd, receiving 1st recurrent near middle; abdominal terga smooth and shining, punctures exceedingly minute but rather distinct, quite sparse, apical impressed areas shallow, rather narrow, becoming very narrowly hyaline along rims, discal pubescence thin and erect, but rather elongate, entirely pale, terga 2-4 with narrow, whitish, apical fasciae, interrupted medially on tergum 2, tergum 5 with an apical, brownish-ochraceous fimbria.



MALE. Length 8 mm.; clypeus rather flat, projecting about one-third below suborbital line, punctures rather fine but distinct, rather sparse in center, becoming close and more obscure laterally; space between margin of vertex and lateral ocelli very slightly greater than their diameter; cheeks somewhat shining, much broader than eyes, rather flat, obscurely subangulate posteriorly, angle opposite lower portion of eye, punctures exceedingly minute and obscure; malar space very short; basal segment of flagellum subequal to 2nd and 3rd combined; process of labrum subquadrate, the truncate apex slightly emarginate medially; mandibles rather long and slender, slightly bowed, with a distinct inner subapical tooth, overlapping nearly one-half; pubescence of head, thorax and legs entirely white; thoracic integument rather dull, punctures of scutum rather shallow and fine, well separated, but not sparse anteriorly, more widely separated toward middle posteriorly, those on scutellum quite fine and distinct, well separated; pleura densely tessellate, punctures very obscure; enclosure of propodeum dull and densely tessellate; all basitarsi slender, elongate, much narrower than their respective tibiae; 2nd submarginal cell considerably shorter than 3rd, receiving 1st recurrent near middle; abdominal terga shining, sparsely and very minutely punctate, apical depressed areas rather narrow and obscure, becoming yellowish-hyaline at rims, pubescence very short, suberect, entirely pale, forming thin, loose and narrow, apical fasciae on terga 2-4, rather widely interrupted on 2 and 3; apical portion of sternum 8 abruptly narrowed at base, from which it is slender and parallel-sided to the very slightly expanded tip, pubescence short, thin and inconspicuous; penis valves very slightly enlarged toward base; gonocoxites rather short. slightly dilated and rounded apically, gonocoxal lobes moderately produced, subtriangular, with rather rounded apex.



DISTRIBUTION. Minnesota to the New England states, south to North Carolina; May and June.



FLOWER RECORDS. Geranium maculatum. Robertson (1929) records this species (as Ptilandrena g. maculati) also on Heracleum lanatum and Polymonium reptans.

Names
Scientific source:
Hosts · map
FamilyScientific name @ source (records)
Geraniaceae  Geranium maculatum @ BBSL (1); AMNH_BEE (4); CUIC_ENT (2); I_JSA (1); UCMS_ENT (1); UCRC_ENT (8)

Geranium sp @ BBSL (1); CUIC_ENT (2)
J. rykken  1029 @ JRYB__SHEN (1)

1049 @ JRYB__SHEN (1)
Montiaceae  Claytonia virginica @ UCRC_ENT (1)

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