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Andrena nigrihirta (Ashmead, 1890)
Cilissa nigrihirta Ashmead, 1890; Andrena longihirtiscopa Viereck, 1904; Andrena decussata Viereck, 1904; Andrena decussatula Viereck, 1904; Andrena synthiridis Cockerell, 1906; Andrena novae-angliae Viereck, 1907; Andrena novaeangliae Viereck, 1907; Andrena nivaloides Graenicher, 1911; Andrena (Andrena) discolor Viereck, 1916; Andrena (Andrena) tumida Viereck, 1922; Andrena (Andrena) vancouverensis Viereck, 1924; Andrena (Andrena) nigrovaria Viereck, 1924; Andrena (Andrena) marina Viereck, 1926; Andrena ripariella Cockerell, 1936; Andrena (Thysandrena) crenata Mitchell, 1960; Andrena (Euandrena) nigrihirta (Ashmead, 1890)

Life   Insecta   Hymenoptera   Apoidea   Andrenidae   Andrena
Subgenus: Ptilandrena



Andrena nigrihirta, -female, -side clean
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Andrena nigrihirta, -female, -side clean

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Andrena nigrihirta, -female, -back
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Andrena nigrihirta, -female, -back
Andrena nigrihirta, -female, -face
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Andrena nigrihirta, -female, -face

Andrena nigrihirta, -female-face 2012-04-09-1354.47-ZS-DMap
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Andrena nigrihirta, -female-face 2012-04-09-1354.47-ZS-DMap
Andrena nigrihirta FEM CFP comp
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Andrena nigrihirta FEM CFP comp

Andrena nigrihirta, female, dorsal, OSAC
David Cappaert · 5
Andrena nigrihirta, female, dorsal, OSAC
Andrena nigrihirta, female, head, OSAC
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Andrena nigrihirta, female, head, OSAC

Andrena nigrihirta, female, lateral, OSAC
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Andrena nigrihirta, female, lateral, OSAC
Andrena nigrihirta, male, dorsal, OSAC
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Andrena nigrihirta, male, dorsal, OSAC

Andrena nigrihirta, male, head, OSAC
David Cappaert · 5
Andrena nigrihirta, male, head, OSAC
Andrena nigrihirta, male, lateral, OSAC
David Cappaert · 5
Andrena nigrihirta, male, lateral, OSAC

Andrena nigrihirta, Barcode of Life Data Systems
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Andrena nigrihirta, Barcode of Life Data Systems
Andrena nigrihirta, female, face
© Rebekah Andrus Nelson · 1
Andrena nigrihirta, female, face

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Andrena nigrihirta – A small, widespread, vernal mining bee that is variable in terms of vestiture. Female is noted for galea that is spear shaped but dull, narrow hind tibia with simple scopal hairs, narrow facial fovea, and facial quadrangle slightly longer than broad, and clypeus shiny with large pits separated by ½ to 1 pit diameter. Males have F1 1.5 times the length of F2, and tergites 2 through 7 often with dark hairs.

Overview
Reprinted with permission of the American Entomological Society from: LaBerge, W. E., Ribble, D. W. 1975. A revision of the bees of the genus Andrena of the Western Hemisphere. Part VII. Subgenus Euandrena. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 101: 371-446.

Please report text errors to: leah at discoverlife dot org.

Andrena nigrihirta is a small, highly variable, widespread bee. It is similar to A. lawrencei and nigrocaerulea but lacks the metallic reflections of the integument. It differs from lawrencei by having smaller facial foveae in the female and by the short vertex in both sexes.

This species closely resembles a Eurasian species, Andrena hebes Perez and the two are obviously closely related. In fact, nigrihirta females which have medium pale coloration of the vestiture are almost indistinguishable from females of hebes from Kyushu and Kyoto in Japan. Both sexes of hebes from Japan have whiter pale hairs, slightly longer vertices and have the first transcubital vein ending nearer to the pterostigma (almost as in Micrandrena) than in nigrihirta. Considering the variability of nigrihirta , it seems possible that a study of the variability within hebes may show nigrihirta to be nothing more than an American variety of hebes.

FEMALE. MEASUREMENTS AND RATIOS. N = 20; length, 8-11 mm; width, 2.5-3.5 mm; wing length, M = 3.17 0.143 mm; FL/FW, M = 1.08 0.007; FOVL/FOVW, M = 3.76 0.088.

INTEGUMENTAL COLOR. Black except as follows: mandible with apical half or more rufescent; flagellum usually dark brown below; tegula dark red; wing membrane moderately infumate, yellowish, veins dark red to reddish-brown; terga usually with narrow hyaline apical margins, apical area often moderately rufescent; tarsi and hind tibia often rufescent, hind tibia occasionally bright orange-red.

STRUCTURE. Antenna as in lawrencei but flagellar segments 2 and 3 broader than long, following segments quadrate or slightly longer than broad. Eyes each about four times as long as broad, inner margins parallel or converging slightly towards mandibles. Mandible as in lawrencei. Galea as in lawrencei but shorter and outer margin convex in basal half or more, straight or slightly concave anteriorly. Maxillary palpus moderately long, segmental ratio about as 0.9:1.0:0.9:0.8:0.8:0.9. Labial palpus moderate in length (as in nigrocaerulea), ratio about as 1.0:0.5:0.4:0.5. Labral process large, entire (occasionally extremely slightly indented apicomedially), trapezoidal or rounded in outline, shiny; labrum below process without clear cristae, usually moderately shiny. Clypeus protuberant, extending well forward beyond base of mandibles but not as extreme as in lawrencei, disc often flattened or depressed, with coarse round punctures of irregular size and spacing but smaller laterally and at extreme base, usually with a narrow median impunctate area, shiny and unshagreened except near base. supraclypeal area, face and genal area as in lawrencei. Vertex short, above lateral ocellus equal to about half an ocellar diameter or slightly less. Facial fovea narrow, relatively short, separated from lateral ocellus by one to one and one-half ocellar diameter, extending down to level of lower margins of antennal fossae or somewhat shorter.

Pronotum, mesoscutum and scutellum sculptured as in lawrencei but punctures more crowded, especially on scutellum. Propodeum with dorsal triangle with fine rugulae basally and finely punctatorugose medially to tessellate at apex and laterally, or tessellate with short irregular rugulae at base; dorsolateral and posterior surfaces roughened by shallow, coarse punctures, finely tessellate; lateral surfaces coarsely and evenly tessellate with scattered coarse piliferous punctures. Mesepisternum much as in lateral propodeal surface but punctures usually more obscure. Wings as in lawrencei. Tarsal claws and tibial spurs normal.

metasomal terga usually dulled by coarse reticulotransverse shagreening, apical areas somewhat shinier due to courser reticular shagreening, with scattered obscure punctures separated mostly by two or more puncture widths. Some specimens with somewhat coarser, slightly more crowded punctures on discs and often with apical areas shiny and almost unshagreened. Pygidial plate V-shaped with rounded apex, internal triangular raised area often evident. Sterna as in lawrencei.

VESTITURE. Dark specimens with vestiture dark blackish-brown except bright ochraceous on thoracic dorsum and often sparse ochraceous hairs on first tergum. Pale specimens with vestiture entirely pale ochraceous to almost white, often yellow on thoracic dorsum and often short foveal hairs brown. Pale form with terga 2-4 with pale apical fasciae of relatively short, white, decumbent pubescence interrupted medially on at least terga 2 and 3 and often on 4. Intermediate forms with dark legs, pleurae and head, but with broadly interrupted tergal bands. Tibial scopa long, relatively sparse, simple hairs, dark brown to ochraceous. Trochanteral flocculus weak; propodeal corbicula as in nigrocaerulea and lawrencei.

MALE. MEASUREMENTS AND RATIOS. N = 20; length 7-10 mm; width, 1.5-2.5 mm; wing length, M = 3.02 0.226 mm; FL/FW, M = 1.08 0.013; FS1/FS2, M = 1.52 0.053.

INTEGUMENTAL COLOR. As in female except as follows; terga 2-5 often rather broadly hyaline apically or translucent brown; hind tibia never bright orange, piceous to red-brown.

STRUCTURE. Antenna as in lawrencei but flagellar segment 1 usually slightly longer than segment 3 which is distinctly longer than 2, segment 2 quadrate, 3-10 longer than broad. Eyes each about four times as long as broad or slightly shorter, inner margins converging towards mandibles at least slightly. Mandible and galea as in female. Maxillary palpus as female but segmental ratio about as 0.9:1.0:0.9:0.7:0.6:0.7. Labial palpus as in female but ratio about as 1.0:0.5:0.6:0.6. Labrum as in female but process more frequently slightly indented apicomedially. Clypeus, supraclypeal area, genal area and vertex as in female. Face above antennal fossae as in female but longitudinal rugulae often coarser. Clypeal punctures are usually or often slightly smaller than in female and clypeus is never depressed medially.

Thorax and wing venation as in female. Hind tibia slender, outer surface usually shagreened at least slightly; tibial spurs and claws normal.

Metasomal terga sculptured as in female but apical areas more often shiny and discal punctures often more distinct but never coarse or crowded. sternal sculpturing as in lawrencei.

Terminalia as in Figures 8-12; note the following: gonostylus slightly narrowed apically; dorsal lobe gonocoxite distinct, rounded; sternum 7 deeply emarginate; sternum 8 with tip broadened, not emarginate.

VESTITURE. Generally as in female but darkest specimens with ochraceous hairs on first tergum as well as thoracic dorsum and face usually with at least a few pale hairs. Pale specimens with sternal subapical fimbriae weak (incomplete laterally and short with usually no more than a single row of hairs) to absent as in lawrencei.

VARIATION. All degrees of intergrades occur between the darkest and palest specimens described above. In general specimens from east of the Rocky Mountains are pale and those from Alaska are pale, but so few specimens are known that one cannot assume the species to be monotypic in color in these extensive regions. California to British Columbia populations are a mixture of pale, dark and intermediate forms with the darkest specimens from higher altitudes than the paler specimens (although this generalization does not hold true in the San Francisco Bay region). Extremely dark specimens are also known from localities in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and Idaho.

Females from several of the higher altitudes (all dark forms) in California, Oregon, Idaho and Colorado have a peculiarity of the clypeus. In these females the clypeus is more or less indented, in one specimen so strongly as to he dish-shaped. It is not clear whether this is teratological (perhaps due to handling at time of capture) or genetic. It is clear that females with indented clypei have broader heads than the normal females and this suggests teratology.




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




Description based on the synonymous name: Andrena novae-angliae Viereck



FEMALE. Length 9 mm.; face slightly longer than broad; clypeus strongly convex, protuberant, projecting fully one-half below suborbital line, shining, punctures deep and distinct but moderately fine, rather sparse medially, becoming close laterally, but without a distinct, median, impunctate line, facial foveae rather narrow, occupying above about two-thirds of area between eyes and ocelli, covered with whitish tomentum; space between margin of vertex and lateral ocelli less than their diameter; cheeks broader than eyes, rounded posteriorly, rather dull, punctures exceedingly minute and obscure; malar space very short; basal segment of flagellum subequal to 2nd and 3rd combined; process of labrum rather large, about twice as broad as long, imperfectly subtriangular or semicircular; pubescence of head, thorax and legs whitish-ochraceous, somewhat paler below; thoracic integument quite dull, punctures of scutum fine and quite close, somewhat more widely separated posteriorly, those on scutellum quite sparse, except in mid line and extreme sides. pleura more densely pubescent, the punctures very shallow and obscure; enclosure of propodeum dull, very finely subrugose toward base, propodeal corbicula short, poorly developed, without an anterior fringe; trochanteral floccus poorly developed, quite short, whitish; tibial scopa rather dense, the hairs simple, elongate, pale ochraceous; hind tibiae quite slender and elongate, all the basitarsi slightly narrower than their respective tibiae; 2nd submarginal cell slightly shorter than 3rd, receiving 1st recurrent slightly basad of middle; abdominal terga somewhat shining, punctures very fine, rather close laterally, becoming more widely separated but not sparse medially, depressed apical areas rather shallow, occupying medially about one-third length of disc, becoming yellowish-hyaline along rims, pubescence very short, suberect, entirely pale, forming very loose and narrow, whitish, apical fasciae on terga 2-4, that on 2 and 3 interrupted medially, tergum 5 with a quite dense, apical, brownish-fuscous fimbria.



DISTRIBUTION. Alberta, Minnesota and Illinois, east to New York, the New England states and Nova Scotia; May to July.



FLOWER RECORD. Angelica.




Description based on the synonymous name: Andrena crenata Ashmead



MALE. Length 7.5 mm.; face somewhat longer than distance between eyes; eyes nearly parallel; lateral ocelli separated from margin of vertex by about their own diameter; cheeks and eyes subequal in width; clypeus quite strongly convex and protuberant, projecting fully one-half below suborbital line, somewhat shining, with deep, distinct, rather coarse and evenly distributed punctures, these however becoming somewhat closer and finer toward extreme lateral angles; face below ocelli densely and rather finely rugose, vertex dull and densely tessellate, with punctures exceedingly obscure; cheeks somewhat smoother but rather dull, with a few minute punctures evident along narrow area adjacent to eye; malar space evident but very short; process of labrum very short and broad, being more transverse, broadly truncate, median length less than half basal width; mandibles quite short, barely reaching beyond midline of face, tips ferruginous, with a subapical, inner tooth near apex; basal segment of flagellum slightly shorter than segments 2 and 3 combined, segment 2 slightly broader than long, 3rd and following segments becoming successively more elongate; pubescence of head and thorax entirely whitish, head largely denuded, pubescence on thorax more copious, elongate and erect; scutum and scutellum dull and densely tessellate, punctures shallow, rather fine and obscure, well separated even anteriorly; pleura dull, densely tessellate, without evident punctures; dorsal area of propodeum very finely substriate along basal margin, these striae disappearing toward the lateral margins, lateral areas densely tessellate; propodeal corbicula rather well developed; legs dark, slender, entirely whitish pubescent, spurs pale yellowish; wings subhyaline, veins pale testaceous, stigma somewhat more ferruginous, 2nd submarginal cell about half length of 3rd, receiving 1st recurrent slightly beyond middle; tegulae dark anteriorly, becoming testaceous-hyaline posteriorly; abdominal terga smooth, rather dull toward base of each segment, becoming somewhat more shining apically, punctures fine but distinct, well separated and evenly distributed, apical margins very shallowly impressed, these areas largely impunctate, pubescence entirely pale, fasciae not evident; sternum 7 with a deep, triangular, median emargination, each side of this more or less triangular, with a fine tuft of hairs; basal portion of sternum 8 somewhat triangular on each side, apical portion short, finely pubescent, with truncate tip; penis valves slightly excavated basally, narrowed and slender apically, not quite attaining tips of gonocoxites which are only slightly expanded, gonocoxal lobes short, broadly rounded.



TYPES - Holotype: Male, Arenak Co., Mich., May 30, 1951 (R. R. Dreisbach). Paratypes: MICHIGAN: 1 M, Midland Co., May 12, 1944 (Dreisbach); 1 M, Mackinac Co., June 7, 1957 (R. & K. Dreisbach) [all Dreisbach].

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

Synonymous name : Andrena novae-angliae

FEMALE Length 9 mm.; face slightly longer than broad; clypeus strongly convex, protuberant, projecting fully one-half below suborbital line, shining, punctures deep and distinct but moderately fine, rather sparse medially, becoming close laterally, but without a distinct, median, impunctate line, facial foveae rather narrow, occupying above about two-thirds of area between eyes and ocelli, covered with whitish tomentum; space between margin of vertex and lateral ocelli less than their diameter; cheeks broader than eyes, rounded posteriorly, rather dull, punctures exceedingly minute and obscure; malar space very short; basal segment of flagellum sub- equal to 2nd and 3rd combined; process of labrum rather large, about twice as broad as long, imperfectly subtriangular or semicircular; pubescence of head, thorax and legs whitish-ochraceous, somewhat paler below; thoracic integument quite dull, punctures of scutum fine and quite close, somewhat more widely separated posteriorly, those on scutellum quite sparse, except in mid line and extreme sides, pleura more densely pubescent, the punctures very shallow and obscure; enclosure of propodeum dull, very finely subrugose toward base, propodeal corbicula short, poorly developed, without an anterior fringe; trochanteral floccus poorly developed, quite short, whitish; tibial scopa rather dense, the hairs simple, elongate, pale ocnraceous; hind tibiae quite slender and elongate, all the basi tarsi slightly narrower than their respective tibiae; 2nd submarginal cell slightly shorter than 3rd, receiving 1st recurrent slightly basad of middle; abdominal terga somewhat shining, punctures very fine, rather close laterally, becoming more widely separated but not sparse medially, depressed apical areas rather shallow, occupying medially about one-third length of disc, becoming yellowish-hyaline along rims, pubescence very short, suberect, entirely pale, forming very loose and narrow, whitish, apical fasciae on terga 2-4, that on 2 and 3 interrupted medially, tergum 5 with a quite dense, apical, brownish-fuscous fimbria.

DISTRIBUTION Alberta, Minnesota and Illinois, east to New York, the New England states and Nova Scotia; May to July.

FLOWER RECORD Angelica.

Names
Scientific source:
Hosts · map
FamilyScientific name @ source (records)
Asteraceae  Taraxacum campylodes @ CUIC_ENT (2)
Brassicaceae  Barbarea vulgaris @ CUIC_ENT (1)
Caprifoliaceae  Lonicera sp @ BBSL (2)

Lonicera @ AMNH_BEE (1)
Liliaceae  Erythronium grandiflorum @ BBSL (11); CUIC_ENT (4)

Fritillaria pudica @ BBSL (3)
Plantaginaceae  Besseya plantaginea @ AMNH_BEE (1)
Polycitoridae  Salix sp @ BBSL (1)
Polygonaceae  Eriogonum sp @ BBSL (1)
Rosaceae  Potentilla recta @ CUIC_ENT (1)

Rubus sp @ CUIC_ENT (3)
Salicaceae  Salix humilis @ CUIC_ENT (2)

Salix sp @ CUIC_ENT (1)
Violaceae  Viola sp @ CUIC_ENT (1)
_  Withheld @ BBSL__YOSE (7); BBSL (31)

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