Andrena fulvipennis

Justification:
Andrena fulvipennis is a fall-active, pollen specialist bee known from the southeast United States and Atlantic coastal areas. Using all known records for this species, the extent of occurrence is 1,926,163 km2. Records from the last decade are well distributed through the known range. This species uses pollen from the plant family Asteraceae, from at least five separate genera. Although some pollen specialists may be at increased risk of extinction due to their dietary specialization, the host plants of this species are abundant, grow in many habitat types, and have a long bloom period. Within the range of the species, increased impacts from climate change and urbanization have been observed, so it is possible that localized threats are acting on this species. However, because the species is widespread and occurs in many different habitat types, it is unlikely that it is threatened with extinction at this time. As such, it is evaluated as Least Concern for now.

Andrena fulvipennis is an pollen specialist bee specializing on the plant family Asteraceae, recorded from the plant genera Aster, Haplopappus, Heterotheca, Gutierrezia, and Chrysopsis, among others. It occurs in the southern central plains of Texas, the coastal plains and pine savannahs of southeast United States, the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, and the Long Island Coastal Lowlands in New York. 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 nectar on which they lay a single egg (Michener 2007). Records of this species range from July to as late as December, with most records from September and October (LaBerge 1967; Chesshire et al. 2023). Adults are assumed to emerge annually (Danforth et al. 2019). 1.4. Forest – Temperate * 2.2. Savanna - Moist 4.4. Grassland – Temperate 14.5 Urban Areas

Threats to this species are not well understood. Certain aspects of this species' biology may make it more vulnerable to some threats. Andrena fulvipennis 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). This species is oligolectic, which has been linked to higher risk of extinction due to reduced host plant availability, especially under climate change scenarios (Roberts et al. 2011) and reduced effective population sizes (Packer et al. 2005). 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). This species has had its conservation status evaluated using NatureServe criteria at the U.S. state level in some areas where it occurs. It has been evaluated as Critically Imperiled in Virginia, and Possibly Extirpated in New York.

No known conservation actions are in place for this species. Observations of this species are known from United States Forest Service, United States Fish and Wildlife, and National Park 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 better understand existing threats. 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.

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