Dufourea novaeangliae (Robertson)

Gibbs, Jason, Dumesh, Sheila & Griswold, Terry L., 2014, Bees of the genera Dufourea and Dieunomia of Michigan (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Halictidae), with a key to the Dufourea of eastern North America, Journal of Melittology 2014 (29), pp. 1-15 : 7-9

Dufourea novaeangliae (Robertson)

( Figs. 4 , 6, 7 , 10–12 )

Panurgus novae-angliae Robertson, 1897: 339 (♂).

Conohalictoides lovelli Viereck, 1904: 245 (♀ ♂).

Dufourea (Halictoides) novae-angliae (Robertson) : Michener, 1951: 1132 (catalog); Mitchell, 1960: 519 (♀ ♂ redescription); Krombein, 1967: 472 (catalog); Hurd, 1979: 1936 (catalog); Eickwort et al., 1986: 109 (larva; nesting biology); Moure & Hurd, 1987: 22 (catalog).

Dufourea novaeangliae (Robertson) : Dumesh & Sheffield, 2012: 23 (♀ ♂ redescription).

Dufourea novaeangliae is oligolectic on Pontederia cordata L. ( Pontederiaceae ) ( Viereck, 1924; Eickwort et al., 1986; Alves-dos-Santos, 2003), but has also been recorded from Fagopyrum esculentum Moench ( Polygonaceae ), Verbena hastata L. ( Verbenaceae ), Lythrum salicaria L. ( Lythraceae ), and Prunella vulgaris L. ( Lamiaceae ), presumably visiting these plants for nectar ( Mitchell, 1960; Eickwort et al., 1986; Payette, 2001). At least in certain locations, this species can be collected in large numbers from Pontederia L., which grows at the edges of lakes and streams ( Eickwort et al., 1986; Reznicek et al., 2011). Pontederia cordata is widespread throughout the state of Michigan, occurring in 57 counties ( Reznicek et al., 2011). Dufourea novaeangliae has been collected across the northeastern USA and eastern Canada ( Mitchell, 1960; Bouseman, 1986; Eickwort et al., 1986; Payette, 2001; Wolf & Ascher, 2009; Sheffield et al., 2009; Dumesh & Sheffield, 2012).

Males of D. novaeangliae are active by early to mid-July, followed by females approximately a week later ( Eickwort et al., 1986; Payette, 2001; J. G., pers. obs.). Peak activity lasts until mid to late August ( Eickwort et al., 1986). The nesting biology of D. novaeangliae was studied in upstate New York by Eickwort et al. (1986). Nests were found in sandy soils in shaded areas adjacent to water ( Eickwort et al., 1986). Mate-seeking behavior of males was reported by Kukuk et al. (1985).

Mitchell (1960) recorded D. novaeangliae from Michigan from unspecified locations. It is recorded here from the following locations: Allegan Co.: Allegan State Forest, 22 July 1963 [ MSUC]; Barry Co.: Guernsey Lake, T 2 N R 9 W Sec. 18, no date [ MSUC]; no locality, 24 July 1956 [ MSUC]; Clinton Co.: Bath, 20 July 1963 [ MSUC]; Ingham Co.: Lake Lansing, 25 August 1979 [ BBSL]; Mecosta Co.: no locality, 24 July 1941 [ SEMC]; Newaygo Co.: no locality, 1 August 1943 [ MSUC]; Shiawassee Co.: Rose Lake Research Area, 21 July 1992 [ BBSL] ( Fig. 24 ). Two individuals were collected on Sagittaria latifolia Willd. ( Alismataceae ). One of us ( J. G.) collected bees from Pontederia in Lake Cadillac (Wexford Co.) and Lake Lansing (Ingham Co.) during August of 2013, but failed to find any Dufourea ( J. G., pers. obs.).

Figures

Figure 24. Distribution map of Dufourea Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau and Dieunomia Cockerell of Michigan. Circle (○) Dufourea harveyi (Cockerell); solid triangle (▲) D. maura (Cresson); empty triangle (∆) D. monardae (Viereck); cross (+) D. novaeangliae (Robertson); and square (□) Dieunomia heteropoda (Say).

Figures 4–5. Faces of female Dufourea Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau. 4. Dufourea novaeangliae (Robertson). 5. D. harveyi (Cockerell). Modified from Dumesh & Sheffield (2012).

Figures 6–9. Females of Dufourea novaeangliae (Robertson) (6, 7) and D. monardae (Viereck) (8, 9). 6, 8. Head and mouthparts in lateral view. 7, 9. Mesobasitarsi. Modified from Dumesh & Sheffield (2012).

Figures 10–15. Males of Dufourea novaeangliae (Robertson) (10–12) and D. monardae (Viereck) (13–15). 10, 13. Propodea. 11, 14. Metatrochanters. 12, 15. Metasomal sterna six. Modified from Dumesh & Sheffield (2012).