Rare bees for the Oregon Bee Project
The following are some rare or otherwise poorly known species we would like our Master Melittologists to survey for in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Our focus here is on Oregon, however some of these species are known from adjacent states or are expected to occur there. Often these species are obscure because they are specialized on plants in regions that receive little or no survey effort. You can revisit historical and contemporary localities during the period of activity, and survey their floral hosts. You can also seek out new populations of their host plants and survey those plant species during the period of activity. The citations have additional information about the species including keys for identification, diagnostic characters, and discussion regarding their taxonomy and biology. These resources can be found in Canvas on the Resources Page under Taxonomic Resources.
Andrena winnemuccana
Host Plant: Thelypodium laciniatum
Bloom Period: May-June
Citation: LaBerge, W. E. 1973. A revision of the bees of the genus Andrena of the Western Hemisphere. Part VI. Subgenus Trachandrena. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 99: 235-371.
Historical Data: Taken from LaBerge 1973, "paratype female (OSU) was collected 10 miles north of Owyhee Dam, Malheur Co., Oregon, by R. B. Roberts on June 9, 1968."
Dufourea afasciata
Host Plant: Trifolium but especially Trifolium eriocephalum and Trifolium in Josephine Co., Jackson Co., and otherwise east of the Cascade crest.
Bloom Period: April-July
Citation: Bohart, G.E. 1948. New North American bees of the genus Dufourea. Ann. Ent. Soc. Am., XLI, 119-136.
Historical Data: Taken from Bohart 1948: "1 male, Hanson's Resort, Jefferson Co., Oregon, July 29, 1929, (E. C. Van Dyke)." [I believe Hanson's Resort was on the Metolius River.]
Additional Oregon Bee Atlas Data: 2 female and 2 male specimens from the vicinity of the Pelican Guard Station Day Use Area (Klamath Co.) late June and early July collected by Steve Sheehy and Sarah Malaby.
Calliopsis hesperia
Host Plant: Heliotropium curassavicum
Bloom Period: June-August
Citation: Rozen, J. G. 1958. Monographic Study of The Genus Nomadopsis Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae). University of California Publications in Entomology, 15, 1–202.
Historical Data: None for our region. Previously known from CA and NV.
Additional Oregon Bee Atlas Data: Specimens from traps were recovered from Flagstaff Lake, and Coleman Lake in Lake Co., late June to late July by Dan and Michael O'loughlin.
Calliopsis barri
Host Plant: Melilotus, Astragalus, Ladeania lanceolata
Bloom Period: April to August but note that this species is known mostly from July which points towards Ladeania lanceolata as the likely primary host plant.
Citation: 1) Rozen, J.G. 1959. A new species of Nomadopsis and notes on some previously described ones. Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., 61, 255-259.
2) Rozen, J. G. 1958. Monographic Study of The Genus Nomadopsis Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae). University of California Publications in Entomology, 15, 1–202.
Historical Data: Taken from Rozen 1959: "Sisters, Crook Co. [now Jefferson Co.], Ore., VII-1909 (J.C.Bridwell)."
Additional Oregon Bee Atlas Data: One female specimen from Halfway Lake, east of Silver Lake (Klamath Co.), July 31st, collected by Steve Sheehy and Sarah Malaby.
Notes: This species is in the Macronomadopsis group (Rozen, 1958) of species which includes C.zebrata, C.micheneri, and C.anthidia. All members appear to be specialized on Fabaceae. C.micheneri and C.anthidia visit Trifolium species. C.zebrata is known to visit Astragalus. All Trifolium species in Oregon are great survey targets and especially in the geography as described above for Dufourea afasciata.
