Andrena cressoni

Justification:
Andrena cressoni is a solitary bee species that occurs across much of the United States and parts of Southern Canada. Most records are from the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, suggesting the species is most abundant there. Using all records of the species, the extent of occurrence is 8,050,622 km2. Observations in the last decade since 2013 are relatively well distributed across the entire range. This species is a dietary generalist, collecting pollen from a wide range of plant families to feed its offspring. It has been recorded foraging from apple and low bush blueberry flowers, suggesting they may play a role in the pollination of these crops. Across the range of the species, impacts from climate change, exposure to pesticides, and habitat loss and modification have been observed. These threats may be acting on the species at local levels. More information is needed to determine a population trend for this species, describe elements of its life history, and to assess the impacts that threats may be having on this species. However, because it is widespread, occurs in many habitat types, and has been recently observed in many parts of its range, it is unlikely that it is threatened with extinction at this time. As such, it is assessed as Least Concern for now.

Andrena cressoni is a dietary generalist solitary bee that collects pollen from a wide range of plant genera. It has been reported to visit apple and low bush blueberry (Sheffield, Kevan, and Smith 2003). It has been recorded from coniferous and deciduous forests, woody wetlands, shrublands, agricultural and urban areas. This species likely nests underground like all other Andrena (Danforth et al. 2019), but nests from this species have not been described. Nest cells from other members of this genus are located at the ends of the lateral burrows, which are typically lined with a waxy Dufour’s gland secretion (Cane 1981) that serves to both isolate the provision from pathogens in the surrounding soil and to regulate water uptake from the soil atmosphere (Cane and Love 2021). Females provision each cell with a ball of pollen moistened with nectar on which they lay a single egg (Michener 2007). Records of this species come from February to September, with most records from April to June(Chesshire et al. 2023). Adults are assumed to emerge annually (Danforth et al. 2019).

Certain aspects of this species' biology may make it more vulnerable to some threats. Andrena cressoni is a ground nesting species, and nests may be harmed by certain agricultural practices such as tilling, which can kill bees nesting close to the surface (Williams et al. 2010). Additionally, Andrena have been reported to have low reproductive output because of the short adult life span, and a low rate of brood cell provisioning (reviewed in Danforth et al. 2019). Other threats to bees generally include habitat loss or modification, climate change, pesticide use, exposure to pathogens from managed bee species, and competition with honey bees (Brown and Paxton 2009; Potts et al. 2010; Wojcik et al. 2018; Grab et al. 2019; Raven and Wagner 2021). Conservation Actions Conservation needs No known conservation actions are in place for this species. Observations of this species are known from the Bureau of Land Management, Department of Defence, United States Fish and Wildlife, National Park Service, Tribal, United States Army Corp of Engineers, and United States Forest Service land, but this does not confer any specific protections to the species. Further research is needed to determine the overall size of the population and to identify trends and existing threats. The species has been ranked using NatureServe critiera as Secure (G5) and as Secure (S5) in Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia, Apparently Secure (S4) in Illinois and Vermont, and Vulnerable (S3) in New York. Specific conservation needs for this species have not been identified. Due to the importance of supporting wild bee populations for pollination services, general conservation practices are recommended including, restoring, creating, and preserving natural high-quality habitats to include suitable forage and nesting sites; limiting pesticide use on or near suitable habitat, particularly during the adult bee’s flight period; promoting farming and urban practices that increase pollinator-friendly plants in margin space; minimizing exposure of wild bees to diseases transferred from managed bees; and lastly, avoiding honey bee introduction to high-quality native bee habitat. Conservation Actions Needed 1. Land/water protection -> 1.2. Resource & habitat protection 2. Land/water management -> 2.3. Habitat & natural process restoration 4. Education & awareness -> 4.3. Awareness & communications 5. Law & policy -> 5.2. Policies and regulations Research needs Surveys targeting this species are needed throughout its range to determine its persistence throughout its historic range. More information is needed about the population status, range limits, habitat, and ecology of this species. Research Needed 1. Research -> 1.2. Population size, distribution & trends 1.3. Life History and Ecology 1.5. Threats 1.6 Conservation actions 3. Monitoring -> 3.1. Population trends 3.4. Habitat trends Assessment Date of assessment (month-day-year): 10-8-2024 Assessors names (use * to indicate primary assessor, typically the participant with most experience/knowledge of the species): Saff Killingsworth Reviewer(s): Contributors(s): Faye Benjamin, Bethanne Bruninga-Socolar, Tina Harrison, Molly MacLeod, Michael Roswell, Rachael Winfree For a full list of the 162 institutions that contributed to the Chesshire et al. dataset, please see Chesshire et al. 2023, S1. Facilitator(s) and compiler(s): Paige R. Chesshire, Erica E. Fischer, Nicolas J. Dowdy, Terry L. Griswold, Alice C. Hughes, Michael C. Orr, John S. Ascher, Laura M. Guzman, Keng-Lou James Hung, Neil S. Cobb and Lindsie M. McCabe Red List Category and Criteria: Least Concern Justification: Andrena cressoni is a solitary bee species that occurs across much of the United States and parts of Southern Canada. Most records are from the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, suggesting the species is most abundant there. Using all records of the species, the extent of occurrence is 8,050,622 km2. Observations in the last decade since 2013 are relatively well distributed across the entire range. This species is a dietary generalist, collecting pollen from a wide range of plant families to feed its offspring. It has been recorded foraging from apple and low bush blueberry flowers, suggesting they may play a role in the pollination of these crops. Across the range of the species, impacts from climate change, exposure to pesticides, and habitat loss and modification have been observed. These threats may be acting on the species at local levels. More information is needed to determine a population trend for this species, describe elements of its life history, and to assess the impacts that threats may be having on this species. However, because it is widespread, occurs in many habitat types, and has been recently observed in many parts of its range, it is unlikely that it is threatened with extinction at this time. As such, it is assessed as Least Concern for now. NatureServe Specific Text: For Rank Calculator: 1. Element occurrences (using separation distance of 5,000 m): 898 (E) 1. Estimated Number of Element Occurrences Comments: There are many element occurrences of this species overall, and records since 2013 are also plentiful and well distributed across the range of the species. 2. Population size: Unknown 3. Viability/Ecological integrity (choose one) 1. Number of occurrences with good viability/ecological integrity: Unknown 2. Percent of area occupied (For Species with Known AOO): N/A 4. Environmental Specificity: A. Broad. Generalist or community with all key requirements common. 5. Intrinsic Vulnerability: B. Moderately vulnerable 1. Intrinsic vulnerability comments: Andrena have been reported to have low reproductive output because of the short adult life span, and a low rate of brood cell provisioning (reviewed in Danforth et al. 2019). 6. Trend 1. Short Term Trend: Unknown 2. Comments: Abundance estimates and population trends are not known for this species. 3. Long Term Trend: Unknown 4. Comments: Abundance estimates and population trends are not known for this species. For Biotics Global Element Characterization: 1. Habitat Forest/Woodland, Forest-Hardwood, Forest-Conifer, Forest-Mixed, Shrubland/chaparral,.Suburban/Orchard, Urban/edificarian Literature References: Brown, Mark J. F., and Robert J. Paxton. 2009. “The Conservation of Bees: A Global Perspective.” Apidologie 40 (3): 410–16. Cane, James H., and Byron G. Love. 2021. “Hygroscopic Larval Provisions of Bees Absorb Soil Water Vapor and Release Liquefied Nutrients.” Apidologie 52 (6): 1002–16. Cane, J. H. 1981. “Dufour’s Gland Secretion in the Cell Linings of Bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea).” Journal of Chemical Ecology 7 (2): 403–10. Chesshire, Paige R., Erica E. Fischer, Nicolas J. Dowdy, Terry L. Griswold, Alice C. Hughes, Michael C. Orr, John S. Ascher, et al. 2023. “Completeness Analysis for over 3000 United States Bee Species Identifies Persistent Data Gap.” Ecography, February. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.06584. Danforth, Bryan N., Robert L. Minckley, John L. Neff, and Frances Fawcett. 2019. The Solitary Bees: Biology, Evolution, Conservation. Princeton University Press. GBIF.org (13 February 2024) GBIF Occurrence Download https://doi.org/10.15468/dl.w5txw8 Grab, Heather, Michael G. Branstetter, Nolan Amon, Katherine R. Urban-Mead, Mia G. Park, Jason Gibbs, Eleanor J. Blitzer, Katja Poveda, Greg Loeb, and Bryan N. Danforth. 2019. “Agriculturally Dominated Landscapes Reduce Bee Phylogenetic Diversity and Pollination Services.” Science 363 (6424): 282–84. Michener, Charles Duncan. 2007. The Bees of the World. Vol. 1. JHU Press. Potts, Simon G., Jacobus C. Biesmeijer, Claire Kremen, Peter Neumann, Oliver Schweiger, and William E. Kunin. 2010. “Global Pollinator Declines: Trends, Impacts and Drivers.” Trends in Ecology & Evolution 25 (6): 345–53. Raven, Peter H., and David L. Wagner. 2021. “Agricultural Intensification and Climate Change Are Rapidly Decreasing Insect Biodiversity.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 118 (2). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2002548117. Rousseau, Josée S., S. Hollis Woodard, Sarina Jepsen, Brianne Du Clos, Alison Johnston, Bryan N. Danforth, and Amanda D. Rodewald. 2024. “Advancing Bee Conservation in the US: Gaps and Opportunities in Data Collection and Reporting.” Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1346795. Sheffield, Cory S., Peter G. Kevan, and Robert F. Smith. 2003. “Bee Species of Nova Scotia, Canada, with New Records and Notes on Bionomics and Floral Relations (Hymenoptera: Apoidea).” Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 76 (2): 357–84. Williams, A. Park, B. I. Cook, and S. E. Smerdon. 2022. “Rapid Intensification of the Emerging Southwestern North American Megadrought in 2020–2021.” Nature Climate Change 12 (3): 232–34. Williams, N. M., Elizabeth E. Crone, T’ai H. Roulston, Robert L. Minckley, Laurence Packer, and Simon G. Potts. 2010. “Ecological and Life-History Traits Predict Bee Species Responses to Environmental Disturbances.” Biological Conservation 143 (10): 2280–91. Wojcik, Victoria A., Lora A. Morandin, Laurie Davies Adams, and Kelly E. Rourke. 2018. “Floral Resource Competition Between Honey Bees and Wild Bees: Is There Clear Evidence and Can We Guide Management and Conservation?” Environmental Entomology 47 (4): 822–33.

Conservation needs No known conservation actions are in place for this species. Observations of this species are known from the Bureau of Land Management, Department of Defence, United States Fish and Wildlife, National Park Service, Tribal, United States Army Corp of Engineers, and United States Forest Service land, but this does not confer any specific protections to the species. Further research is needed to determine the overall size of the population and to identify trends and existing threats. The species has been ranked using NatureServe critiera as Secure (G5) and as Secure (S5) in Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia, Apparently Secure (S4) in Illinois and Vermont, and Vulnerable (S3) in New York. Specific conservation needs for this species have not been identified. Due to the importance of supporting wild bee populations for pollination services, general conservation practices are recommended including, restoring, creating, and preserving natural high-quality habitats to include suitable forage and nesting sites; limiting pesticide use on or near suitable habitat, particularly during the adult bee’s flight period; promoting farming and urban practices that increase pollinator-friendly plants in margin space; minimizing exposure of wild bees to diseases transferred from managed bees; and lastly, avoiding honey bee introduction to high-quality native bee habitat.

Surveys targeting this species are needed throughout its range to determine its persistence throughout its historic range. More information is needed about the population status, range limits, habitat, and ecology of this species.

(a. any taxonomic concerns about the validity of the species? b. any taxonomic revisions underway that would require a species reassessment.