Document Type

Article

Editor

David Halliwell

Publication Title

Northeastern Naturalist

Publication Date

2017

First Page

1

Last Page

48

Publication Number

Monograph 15

Volume Number

24

Abstract/ Summary

We present a new county checklist developed from bee research in Maine since the 1800s. The list contains 278 bee species in 37 genera and 6 families, of which all but 8 are native, with ≥50 taxa each in Andrena and Lasioglossum. Data for 16 counties from publications, museum collections, and recent surveys varied in number of species from 8 (Androscoggin) to 197 (Hancock). Research since 1930 on Vaccinium angustifolium (Lowbush Blueberry) led to many records. Twenty-one species are considered unusual, including 3 first recorded in 2016: Epeoloides pilosulus, Melitta melittoides, and Holcopasites calliopsidis. Maine records provide evidence of declines in Bombus affinis, decline in B. terricola followed by partial recovery, and increase in B. impatiens. Crops that should be studied regarding associated bees are Malus pumila (Apple), Vaccinium corymbosum (Highbush Blueberry), Vaccinium macrocarpon (American Cranberry), and Curcurbitaceae (cucurbits). Montane, sandy, and island habitats were identified as priorities for future sampling. We discuss records of bee species from New England relevant to understanding the Maine fauna, bee diversity, changes in abundance, cleptoparasitism, pesticide impacts, habitat requirements, and climate change.

Citation/Publisher Attribution

Dibble, A. C., Drummond, F. A., Stubbs, C., Veit, M., & Ascher, J. S. (2017). Bees of Maine, with a State Species Checklist. Northeastern Naturalist, 24, monograph 15, 1-48. doi:10.1656/045.024.m1503

Publisher Statement

©2017 Eagle Hill Institute. The publisher, Eagle Hill Institute reserves the copyright to all its publications. Any reproduction, other than for an individual's own personal and private use, or distribution of journal content is prohibited without written permission from Eagle Hill Institute. Authors of articles published in the Northeastern Naturalist are allowed to post the pdf reprints of their articles on their own website, as well as personally distribute copies to their colleagues, provided they do so along with a clear statement of the Institute's copyright policy as stated above.

DOI

10.1656/045.024.m1503

Version

publisher's version of the published document

Download

Share