Carlinville Miner Bee
Andrena carlini
This record describes Andrena carlini (species). Recorded family: Andrenidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Very similar to vicina which also has a black tibial scopa. In carlini the thoracic hair is longer, denser, and grayer (as opposed to shorter, sparser so as not to fully obscure integument, and more tan in color in vicina). A. carlini and regularis, unlike vicina, have black hairs on the side and venter of the thorax, extending dorsally to just behind the wing bases. This black hair can be hard to see in images, and if this is not noted carlini/regularis can easily be mistaken for vicina. In specimens note the broader impunctate medial line of the clypeus in carlini. A. carlini is very similar to regularis but regularis has a much narrower, acute pygidial plate, and the clypeus lacks an impunctate median line. At present it is probably not feasible to separate carlini from regularis based on images alone in northern areas where these cooccur (carlini can be safely det. to the southern areas where regularis is unrecorded).
Wikipedia reference for Andrena carlini: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrena_carlini.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Trigonaloidea
- Family
- Andrenidae (Miner, Fairy, Allied Panurgine, and Oxaeine Bees)
- Subfamily
- Andreninae
- Genus
- Andrena
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Discover Life Global Map Minnesota and Ontario, east to the New England states and Nova Scotia, south to Missouri, Georgia and North Carolina.
Seasonal Activity
March to August
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Visits flowers from several families. The Hosts section on its Discover Life species page lists known floral associations based on specimen records and images.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Author of species is Cockerell, 1901. Name references namesake of type locality: Carlinville, Illinois
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Andrena carlini. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).
Ecological role of the group
About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Carlinville Miner Bee (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Ted Kropiewnicki; Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset , John S. Ascher , hg , PaleoJon
Frequently Asked Questions About Carlinville Miner Bee
What is Carlinville Miner Bee?
Carlinville Miner Bee (Andrena carlini) is a species in the family Andrenidae, within the order Hymenoptera.
How big is Carlinville Miner Bee?
Female: 14 mm. Male 11 mm.
How do you identify Carlinville Miner Bee?
Very similar to vicina which also has a black tibial scopa. In carlini the thoracic hair is longer, denser, and grayer (as opposed to shorter, sparser so as not to fully obscure integument, and more tan in color in vicina). A. carlini and regularis, unlike vicina, have black hairs on the side and venter of the thorax, extending dorsally to just behind the wing bases. This black hair can be hard to see in images, and if this is not noted carlini/regularis can easily be mistaken for vicina. In specimens note the broader impunctate medial line of the clypeus in carlini. A. carlini is very similar to regularis but regularis has a much narrower, acute pygidial plate, and the clypeus lacks an impunctate median line. At present it is probably not feasible to separate carlini from regularis based on images alone in northern areas where these cooccur (carlini can be safely det. to the southern areas where regularis is unrecorded).
Where is Carlinville Miner Bee found?
Range: Discover Life Global Map Minnesota and Ontario, east to the New England states and Nova Scotia, south to Missouri, Georgia and North Carolina.
What does Carlinville Miner Bee eat?
The diet of the Carlinville Miner Bee includes Visits flowers from several families. The Hosts section on its Discover Life species page lists known floral associations based on specimen records and images..
When is Carlinville Miner Bee active?
Carlinville Miner Bee: seasonal activity - March to August.