Andrena fenningeri

Justification:
Andrena fenningeri is a solitary bee that occurs in the eastern United States, from Texas east to the Atlantic states, north to New Jersey, and east to Illinois. Using all observations of the species, the extent of occurrence is 1,443,242 km2. Recent observations are concentrated in Maryland and New Jersey, but this may be an effect of higher search effort in this region. This species emerges in early spring, and forages from a wide range of spring blooming trees. It occurs in deciduous and evergreen forests, woody wetlands, and agricultural and urban areas. Across the range of the species, impacts from habitat loss and degradation, climate change, and exposure to pesticides have been observed. These threats may be acting on the species at local levels. More information is needed to understand the population dynamics of the species, and the degree to which threats are acting on the population. Because the species is widespread, has been recently observed from numerous localities, and occurs in several habitat types, it is not likely that it is threatened by extinction at this time. As such, it is assessed as Least Concern.

Food habits comment: Andrena fenningeri is a dietary generalist, and has been observed collecting pollen from the plant genera Acer, Prunus, Pyrus, and Salix, among others (Batra 1999). Habitat comment: This species has been recorded in woody wetlands, evergreen and deciduous forest, agricultural areas, and urban areas, between -6 and 1199 m. Reproduction comment: This species nests underground like all other Andrena (Danforth et al. 2019). A study on the biology of Andrena fennigeri (Batra 1999) documented a nest aggregation in red clay substrate. The size and density of this aggregation varied over the 10 years of the study, ranging from 40 m2 to 170 m2 with 53 to 2,900 nests depending on the year. Nests consisted of vertical tunnels constructed to depths ranging from 16-25 cm (Batra 1999). Nests contained up to 5 brood cells and were lined with a waxy Dufour’s gland secretion (Batra 1999) 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). A number of parasites have been recorded in association with Andrena fenningeri nest aggregations, including Sphecodes stygius, five species of Nomada, a conopid fly, and a bombyliid fly, among others (Batra 1999) Phenology comment: Records of this species come from February through June, with most records from March and April (Chesshire et al. 2023). Adults are assumed to emerge annually (Danforth et al. 2019). This species is univoltine (Batra 1999).

Threat comments: Specific threats to this species have not been investigated. Certain aspects of this species' biology may make it more vulnerable to some threats. Andrena fenningeri 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). Threats Threats: Timing: Scope: Severity: Impact Score: 1. Residential & commercial development -> 1.1. Housing & urban areas 1. Residential & commercial development -> 1.2. Commercial & industrial areas 2. Agriculture & aquaculture -> 2.1. Annual & perennial non-timber crops -> 2.1.3. Agro-industry farming 8. Invasive and other problematic species, genes, and diseases -> 8.1 Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases -> 8.1.2. Named species 9. Pollution -> 9.3 Agricultural and forestry effluents -> 9.3.3 Herbicides and Pesticides 11. Climate change & severe weather -> 11.1. Habitat shifting & alteration 11. Climate change & severe weather -> 11.2.Droughts 11. Climate change & severe weather -> 11.3.Temperature extremes Conservation Actions Conservation needs No known conservation actions are in place for this species. Protected/Managed area comment: Observations of this species are known from Bureau of Land Management (BLM), 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. Management comment: 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 Research need comment: More information is needed about the population status, population trend, existing threats, range limits, habitat, and ecology of this species. Surveys targeting this species are needed throughout its range to determine its persistence throughout its historic range. 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): 5-5-2025 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 fenningeri is a solitary bee that occurs in the eastern United States, from Texas east to the Atlantic states, north to New Jersey, and east to Illinois. Using all observations of the species, the extent of occurrence is 1,443,242 km2. Recent observations are concentrated in Maryland and New Jersey, but this may be an effect of higher search effort in this region. This species emerges in early spring, and forages from a wide range of spring blooming trees. It occurs in deciduous and evergreen forests, woody wetlands, and agricultural and urban areas. Across the range of the species, impacts from habitat loss and degradation, climate change, and exposure to pesticides have been observed. These threats may be acting on the species at local levels. More information is needed to understand the population dynamics of the species, and the degree to which threats are acting on the population. Because the species is widespread, has been recently observed from numerous localities, and occurs in several habitat types, it is not likely that it is threatened by extinction at this time. As such, it is assessed as Least Concern. Rank reasons This species is a solitary bee that occurs in the eastern United States, from Texas east to the Atlantic states, north to New Jersey, and east to Illinois. Using all verified records of the species, the range extent is 1,443,242 km2. This species emerges in early spring, and forages from a wide range of spring blooming trees. It occurs in deciduous and evergreen forests, woody wetlands, and agricultural and urban areas. Across the range of the species, impacts from habitat loss and degradation, climate change, and exposure to pesticides have been observed. These threats may be acting on the species at local levels. More information is needed to understand the population dynamics of the species, and the degree to which threats are acting on the population. Because the species is widespread, has been recently observed from numerous localities, and occurs in several habitat types, it is not likely that it is threatened by extinction at this time. NatureServe Specific Text (NOT OTHERWISE INCLUDED IN ABOVE TEXT): For Rank Calculator: 1. Element occurrences (using separation distance of 5,000 m): 55 (C) 1. Estimated Number of Element Occurrences Comments: Using all records from the last 30 years (since 1995), this species is known from approximately 55occurrences using a 5 km separation distance. 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. 1. Environmental specificity comments: This species is a dietary generalist, but it may have specific environmental needs that are not yet understood. 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-Hardwood, Forest-Conifer, Cropland/Hedgerow, Suburban/Orchard, Urban/edificarian 2. Food Habits 1. Adult: nectarivore 2. Immature: nectarivore Literature References: Batra, S. W. 1999. “Biology of Andrena (Scrapteropsis) fenningeri Viereck (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), Harbinger of Spring.” Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 101:106–22. 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. 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. GBIF.org (13 February 2024) GBIF Occurrence Download https://doi.org/10.15468/dl.w5txw8 GBIF.org (23 January 2025) GBIF Occurrence Download https://doi.org/10.15468/dl.sa4f3r 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. 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. Protected/Managed area comment: Observations of this species are known from Bureau of Land Management (BLM), 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. Management comment: 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.

Research need comment: More information is needed about the population status, population trend, existing threats, range limits, habitat, and ecology of this species. Surveys targeting this species are needed throughout its range to determine its persistence throughout its historic range.

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