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Andrena nubecula Smith, 1853
Andrena nubecula r tristicornis Cockerell, 1931

Life   Insecta   Hymenoptera   Apoidea   Andrenidae   Andrena
Subgenus: Cnemidandrena

Andrena nubecula MALE mm .x ZS PMax
© Copyright Laurence Packer 2014 · 7
Andrena nubecula MALE mm .x ZS PMax

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Andrena nubecula FEM CFP comp
© Copyright Laurence Packer 2014 · 7
Andrena nubecula FEM CFP comp
Andrena nubecula
© Copyright John Ascher, 2006-2014 · 6
Andrena nubecula

Andrena nubecula
© Copyright John Ascher, 2006-2014 · 6
Andrena nubecula
Andrena nubecula
© Copyright John Ascher, 2006-2014 · 6
Andrena nubecula

Andrena nubecula, m on Solidago --
Michael Veit · 6
Andrena nubecula, m on Solidago --
Andrena nubecula, m on Solidago --
Michael Veit · 6
Andrena nubecula, m on Solidago --

Andrena nubecula
© Copyright Micheal Veit 2010 · 6
Andrena nubecula
Andrena nubecula, F, back, North Carolina, Buncombe County-Recovered
© Copyright source/photographer · 5
Andrena nubecula, F, back, North Carolina, Buncombe County-Recovered

Andrena nubecula, F, Face ammonia, MD, Anne Arundel County
© Copyright source/photographer · 5
Andrena nubecula, F, Face ammonia, MD, Anne Arundel County
Andrena nubecula, F, face, North Carolina, Buncombe County
© Copyright source/photographer · 5
Andrena nubecula, F, face, North Carolina, Buncombe County

Andrena nubecula, F, side, North Carolina, Buncombe County
© Copyright source/photographer · 5
Andrena nubecula, F, side, North Carolina, Buncombe County
Andrena nubecula, F, Face ammonia, MD, Anne Arundel County
© Copyright source/photographer · 5
Andrena nubecula, F, Face ammonia, MD, Anne Arundel County

Andrena nubecula, female, dorsal.OSAC
David Cappaert · 5
Andrena nubecula, female, dorsal.OSAC
Andrena nubecula, female, head, OSAC
David Cappaert · 5
Andrena nubecula, female, head, OSAC
Overview
Reprinted by permission of the Regents of the University of California from: Donovan, B. J. 1977. A revision of North American bees of the subgenus Cnemidandrena (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae). University of California Publications in Entomology: 1-107.

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

A. nubecula is distinguished by the absence of apical hair on metasomal tergum 1 with the wings strongly darkened apically and in the marginal cell; and the males with the posterior margin of the gena rounded or with a weak spine. Its closest relative, although somewhat separated from it, is A. xanthigera, which, although having the wing darkened apically with some darkening in the marginal cell, does have a subapical fascia on tergum 1. A. candensis and A. bocensis also are naked apically on tergum 1. A. canadensis and A. bocensis also are naked apically on tergum 1, but the wings are hyaline and the integument is generally shiny, not dull as in A. nubecula and A. xanthigera, thus the relationship must be less than that between A. nubecula and A. xanthigera.

FEMALE. MEASUREMENTS AND RATIOS. — N = 20; length, 6.6-8.5 mm; width, 2.5-1.9 mm; wing length, M = 1.03 ± 0.076 mm; FL/FW, M = 1.03 ± 0.092; FOVL/FOVW, M = 3.73 ± 0.302.

INTEGUMENTAL COLOR. — Black except as follows: antenna becoming yellow-brown apically beyond second flagellar segment; mandible with apical half red; tibial spurs white, tinged lightly with yellow; distitarsi and basal half of tarsal claws brown-yellow, apical half of tarsal claws red; tegula and wing veins brown-yellow, pterostigma dark brown to black; wing membrane strongly darkened in marginal cell and apically, remainder slightly darkened to hyaline.

Metasomal terga and sterna widely hyaline apically; pygidial plate with basal half yellow, apical half dark red.

STRUCTURE. — Scape longer than flagellar segments 1 to 3; flagellar segment 1 almost as long as flagellar segment 2 plus 3; flagellar segment 2 equal to flagellar segment 3. Eye slightly more than 3.5 times longer than wide with inner margin diverging above except for upper end inwardly curved. Malar space more than 8 times wider than long. Mandible in repose extends for more than one-fourth its length beyond middle of labrum, with notch of mandible tooth slightly less than one-half distance between middle of labrum and mandible apex. Galea moderately tessellate, dorsal surface equal in width to lateral surface. Maxillary palpus with half of apical segment projecting beyond apex of galea; segmental ratio 0.6:0.9:0.6:0.6:0.5:0.6. Labial palpal basal segment flattened and curved laterally, apical segment attached somewhat subapically, segmental ratio 1.0:0.5:0.5:0.5. Labral process nearly flat except area near base of median, apical emargination raised; labral process length two-thirds width, median emargination depth one-fifth length of labral process. Clypeus not protuberant, nearly flat, extending below eyes for one-half its length; with strong, reticular shagreening throughout, surface dull, with large punctures separated by less than 1 diameter, except for narrow, longitudinal, impunctate strip. Supraclypeal area with small, indistinct punctures obscured by dense shagreening. Genal area 1.3 times wider than eye, shagreened throughout but shagreening weak near eye; whole area with small punctures, separated by 1 to 2 diameters near eye, but more widely separated posteriorly. Vertex above lateral ocellus slightly wider than 1 ocellar diameter; with weak, irregular tessellation and medium-sized, deep punctures on apex separated by 1 to 2 diameters. Supraantennal area with longitudinal rugulae with weak tessellation in interrugal spaces. Facial fovea narrow, of nearly equal width throughout, 3.75 times longer than wide, rounded above and below, reaching above to a line through middle of median ocellus, reaching below to a line below antennal fossa.

Pronotum with humeral angle and ridge well developed, except humeral ridge somewhat depressed where crossed by weak, pronotal suture, pronotum dorsally with reticular shagreening, laterally sculpturing becoming weakly tessellate. Remainder of mesosoma dorsally with moderate tessellation except as follows: scutum, scutellum, and metanotum with medium-sized punctures separated by 4 diameters or more; scutellum with tessellation weak anteriorly, nearly shiny; propodeal enclosure with narrow, anterior fringe of irregular rugulae, medially with shallow, longitudinal depression; dorsoposterior areas of propodeum with medium-sized punctures separated widely near propodeal enclosure, closely grouped laterally. Propodeal corbicular areas with reticular shagreening and scattered, medium-sized punctures in anterodorsal third. Mesepisternum moderately shagreened with medium-sized punctures separated by 2 to 3 diameters. Metepisternum lightly shagreened, nearly shiny. Mesobasitarsus widest medially, slightly less than 3 times longer than wide, equal in width to metabasitarsus. Metabasitarsus widest in mid-point of basal third, slightly less than 4 times longer than wide, one-seventh narrower than metatibia. Metatibia 3.5 times longer than wide. Wing with pterostigma 4 times longer than wide, vein 1st m-cu meets second submarginal cell one-fifth distance from apex.

Metasomal terga 1 to 5 with weak tessellation; tergum 1 impunctate on disc and on apical margin of disc but with some punctures laterally; terga 2 to 4 with apical margins of discs with small punctures separated by less than 1 diameter, tergum 4 with small, scattered punctures on disc, tergum 5 with large punctures separated by 2 diameters. Pygidial plate narrowly rounded apically, with edges and median area raised, with small, crowded punctures except for small, impunctate, apical area. Sterna 1 to 6 with reticular shagreening; sternum 1 with shallow, median, V-shaped emargination; sterna 1 and 2 with medium-sized punctures throughout, separated by 3 diameters; sterna 3 to 6 with similar sized punctures except broad, basal areas impunctate.

VESTITURE. — White except as below: clypeus thinly covered, scutum, scutellum, and metanotum with very few, sparse, erect hairs. Propodeal corbicula with sparse hairs in anterior third; trochanteral floccus imperfect; scopa with dorsal, basal hairs tinged with black. Metasomal tergum 1 completely naked except for short hairs laterally and on extreme anterior of disc; terga 2 to 4 with a narrow, compact, apical fasciae of short, appressed, white-yellow hairs; fasciae obscuring one-fifth or slightly more of terga. Tergum 5 nearly obscured by recumbent, nearly white hairs. Sternum 1 with erect hairs throughout, sterna 1 to 5 with apical fringes in lateral thirds, subapical fimbriae present in lateral thirds, erect hairs on punctured areas.

MALE. MEASUREMENTS AND RATIOS. — N = 20; length, 5.6-7.5 mm; width, 1.4-1.9 mm; wing length, M = 1.90 ± 0.130 mm; FL/FW, M = 0.95 ± 0.093; FS1/FS2, M = 1.37 ± 0.118.

INTEGUMENTAL COLOR. — Black except as follows: antenna yellow-brown ventrally beyond first flagellar segment; mandible with slightly less than apical half red; mesosoma as in female except mediotarsi, distitarsi and basal half of tarsal claws yellow; metasomal terga with almost whole of depressed, apical area hyaline; sterna widely hyaline apically.

STRUCTURE. — Scape equal to flagellar segments 2 plus 3 plus half of flagellar segment 4; flagellar segment 1 equal to 1.3 times length of flagellar segment 2; flagellar segment 2 shorter than flagellar segment 3. Eye 3.5 times longer than wide with inner margin diverging above except for upper end inwardly curved. Malar space as in female. Mandible extending for more than one-fourth its length beyond middle of labrum; notch of mandible tooth one-fifth of distance between middle of labrum and mandible apex from middle of labrum. Galea as in female. Maxillary palpus with apical segment projecting beyond apex of galea; segmental ratio 0.7:0.7:0.5:0.6:0.6:0.6. Labial palpus as in female except segmental ratio 0.8:0.5:0.5:0.6. Labral process strongly reflexed, twice as wide as long, depth of median emargination one-third length of labral process. Clypeus nearly flat, extending for slightly less than one-half its length below level of eyes, with large punctures throughout separated by less than one-half diameter on dorsolateral periphery, but by 3 to 4 or more diameters medioventrally; narrow, dorsolateral periphery weakly shagreened, remainder shiny. Supraclypeal area as in female. Genal area slightly more than twice as wide as eye, produced posteriorly opposite midpoint of eye to a blunt projection; posterior margin above blunt projection weakly angulate; sculpturing as in female. Vertex and supra-antennal area as in female; parocular areas sculptured as for supra-antennal area.

Pronotum with humeral angle and ridge very well developed, humeral ridge almost carinate above; pronotal suture represented by shallow depression not reaching humeral angle, area above pronotal suture dorsoventrally rugulate; angle below between pronotal lobe and humeral angle smooth, polished, remainder of pronotum shagreened, dorsally with medium-sized, indistinct punctures separated by 1 diameter. Scutum with large punctures separated by 1 to 2 diameters, anterior half shagreened, remainder shiny. Scutellum with similar punctation except punctures sparse on anterior two-thirds, posterior third shagreened, anterior two-thirds shiny. Remainder of mesosoma as in female except propodeal corbicular areas with reticular shagreening. Metasomal tergum 1 posteriorly and laterally with medium-sized punctures separated by 3 diameters, disc impunctate medially; terga 2 to 4 with small punctures on disc, separated by 3 to 4 diameters, more closely spaced on apex of disc; tergum 5 with larger punctures on disc separated by 3 diameters; terga 1 to 5 weakly shagreened, dull. Sterna 1 to 6 much as in female. Sternum 7 (fig. 58) with apex broadly and shallowly emarginate with nearly whole of apical edge with hairs; basal apodemes bluntly rounded basally. Sternum 8 (fig. 59) with apex and neck region longer than basal region, apex broadly expanded, neck with sides concave and with abundant, long hairs. Gonoforceps (figs. 55 to 57) in dorsal view with inner apical edge very shallowly emarginate; with a strong, oblique ridge reaching outer edge. Penis valves in dorsal and ventral view narrow, weakly expanded basally, apex lobe-like; in lateral view downturned, shorter than gonoforceps.

VESTITURE. — White except for tergal vestiture tinged with yellow. Clypeus with dense, white pubescence. Scutum, scutellum and metanotum with pubescence erect, long, hairs widely spaced, not obscuring surface. Metasomal tergum 1 with apical margin and lateral areas of disc with short, semi-erect, sparse hairs, median area of disc naked; terga 2 to 4 with apical fasciae of short, appressed hairs not obscuring surface of terga, fasciae extending over one-fourth or less of terga; terga 2 to 5 with very short, fine, sparse, erect hairs on discs. Tergum 5 with apical margin of disc with widely spaced, long, semi-erect hairs not obscuring surface. Sternum 1 with long, erect hairs throughout. Sterna 1 to 5 with subapical fimbriae of long, erect hairs, that on sternum 1 moderately dense, on sterna 2 to 5 very dense; discs of sterna 2 to 6 with long, sparse, erect hairs.

VARIATION. — Specimens from the eastern United States (New York) have the wings very strongly darkened to almost black apically. Specimens from the northwest (Oregon and Washington) and from the southwest (Arizona and New Mexico) have the wings much lighter apically. The eastern female specimens have the tergal apical fasciae light yellow, tergum 5 with the vestiture distinctly light brown, and the scopa darkened throughout. In a small number of female specimens from throughout the range of the species the facial foveae are somewhat wider above than below. Of five females from Glen Echo, Montgomery Co., Maryland, one has a small patch of hairs apically near the median line on tergum 1. Of three females from West Point, Cuming Co., Nebraska, one has a poorly formed apical fascia on tergum 1, and another female has a few scattered hairs apically on tergum 1.



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 8-9 mm.; face somewhat longer than broad; clypeus rather flat, projecting considerably below suborbital line, rather dull, with numerous, well separated, rather shallow punctures; facial foveae narrow, occupying above but little more than half of space between eyes and lateral ocelli, covered with silvery tomentum; space between margin of vertex and lateral ocelli about equal to their diameter; cheeks very slightly broader than eyes, rather dull, with exceedingly minute, rather sparse punctures; malar space extremely short; basal segment of flagellum somewhat shorter than 2nd and 3rd combined; process of labrum subquadrate, nearly as long as broad, slightly emarginate apically; mandibles of moderate length, with a small, inner, subapical tooth; pubescence of head and thorax entirely pale, erect, rather short and thin, not nearly obscuring the surface; thoracic integument dull, tessellate, impunctate except for a few scattered, obscure punctures on pleura; enclosure of propodeum smooth, tessellate; propodeal corbicula well developed, with a distinct anterior fringe; trochanteral floccus well developed, whitish; tibial scopa pale, quite dense, hairs very obscurely and minutely plumose; fore and hind basitarsi slightly narrower than their respective tibiae, the mid basitarsi broad, fully equaling their tibiae in width; pubescence of legs pale in general, slightly infuscated on basitarsi; 2nd submarginal cell much shorter than 3rd, receiving 1st recurrent beyond middle, wings infuscated in region of marginal cell and apex; abdominal terga smooth, dull and tessellate, impunctate, discal pubescence exceedingly short and obscure, but discs of terga 2-4 with dense, conspicuous, whitish, apical fasciae, tergum 5 rather densely, brownish pubescent.

MALE. — Length 6 mm.; clypeus flat, much broader than long, only very slightly protruding below suborbital line; space between margin of vertex and lateral ocelli about equal to their diameter; cheeks broad, subangulate, angle opposite middle of eye, margin above this obscurely subcarinate (as in canadensis, fig. 30), smooth, with scattered, minute punctures; malar space inevident; basal segment of flagellum subequal to the following segments; process of labrum small, much broader than long, apex very narrowly and slightly emarginate; mandibles slender, of moderate length, with an obscure, inner, subapical tooth, overlapping about one-third; pubescence of head and thorax entirely pale, moderately long and erect, thin, not at all obscuring the surface, that on legs entirely pale, thoracic integument dull except for the shining posterior half of scutum and of scutellum, these minutely and rather sparsely punctate; enclosure of propodeum smooth and dull; basitarsi slender and elongate, narrower than their tibiae, yellowish; 2nd submarginal cell very short, receiving 1st recurrent near center; abdominal terga smooth but rather dull, punctures not clearly evident, discal pubescence very obscure, but terga 2 and 3 subfasciate apically; apical portion of sternum 8 very slender and elongate, slightly broader apically, apex rounded; penis valves slender, gonocoxites elongate, slightly dilated apically, gonocoxal lobes subtriangular, very slightly produced.

DISTRIBUTION. — Minnesota to the New England states and eastern Canada, south to North Carolina and Georgia; August to October. In Canada it ranges west to British Columbia.

FLOWER RECORDS. — Aster, Euthamia and Solidago.

Identification

Male - Black, clothed with thin whitish pubescence, that on scutellum morc yellowish; head wider than thorax; cheeks strongly produced behind the eyes, roundetl and snbcarinate posteriorly; face and cIypeus closely and finely punctured, the latter with long dense whitish pubescence; ba8al process of labrum strongly emarginate, presenting two dentiform angles; mandibles long, decussate, rufous at tips; third joint of antennae as long as fifth, longer than fourth, flagellum more or less dull testaceOllS beneath, vertex finely roughened, shining, almost impunctate, front below ocelli ~triate; mesonotum almost impunctate, minutely roughened anteriorly, Jisc, as well as the scutellum, shining; inclosure of metathorax finely roughened, more coarsely so at base; wings hyaline, clouded like the female, but less strongly, marginal cell in front, the tip beyond, the apical margin, and tip of hind wing; nervures and tegulae dull testaceolls, stigma darker, second submarginal less than half the length of third, receiving first recurrent nervure about the middle; legs blackish or dull ferruginous, tarsi testaceous; abdomen slender, shining, minutely roughened and almost impunctate, segments 2-5 with margins pale testaceous, barely fringed. Length 6 mm.

Extracted from: Robertson, C. (1897). North American Bees - Description and Synonyms. Transactions of the Academy of Science od St. Louis. Vol. 7. No. 14.

Female - Black, clothed with thin ochraceous pubescence, paler heneath; head as wide as thorax, striate before ocelli, clypeus somewhat shining, minutely roughened, with sparse, rather large shallow punctures; basal process of labrum small, emarginate; mandibles except hase rufous; antennae dull ferruginous at apex beneath, third joint nearly as long as fourth and fifth together; mesonotnm with rather sparse shallow punctures, the disc and scutellum more shining; inclosure of metathorax bordered by an impressed line, more rugous centrally and at base, but not strongly so; wings hyaline, nervures and stigma testaceous, tegu lae more dull; second submarginal cell less than half as long aR third, receiving recurrent near tip; legs blackish at base, dull ferruginous towards tips, scopa ochraceous, floccus paler; abdomen shiuing, especially towards base, minutely roughened, sparsely, but quite evenly punctured, the punctures less deep and distinct towards apex, apical margins slightly depressed, 2-4 with narrow fasciae, interrupted on second, anal fimbria ochrHceous, pygidium rufous. Length 8 mm.


Names
Scientific source:

Supported by

Hosts · map
FamilyScientific name @ source (records)
Asteraceae  Aster sp @ UCMS_ENT (1)

Aster @ AMNH_BEE (1)

Chrysothamnus sp @ BBSL (2)

Eupatorium maculatum @ CUIC_ENT (1)

Solidago altissima @ CUIC_ENT (1)

Solidago canadensis @ AMNH_BEE (41); CUIC_ENT (2)

Solidago juncea @ CUIC_ENT (4)

Solidago nemoralis @ UCMS_ENT (2)

Solidago rigida @ AMNH_BEE (2)

Solidago rugosa @ CUIC_ENT (1)

Solidago sp @ BBSL (21); CUIC_ENT (85); UCMS_ENT (2)

Solidago tenuifolia @ UCMS_ENT (2)

Solidago @ AMNH_BEE (6); CUIC_ENT (11); I_JSA (5); UCMS_ENT (9)

Symphyotrichum lanceolatum @ AMNH_BEE (1)
Fabaceae  Melilotus officinalis @ CUIC_ENT (1)
J. rykken  1048 @ JRYB__SHEN (2)

928 @ JRYB__SHEN (1)
Rosaceae  Spiraea latifolia @ CUIC_ENT (1)
_  Withheld @ BBSL (46)

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Updated: 2024-03-28 18:48:55 gmt
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