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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Pollinating Insect-Biology, Management, Systematics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #239682
Title: Anthidium vigintiduopunctatum Friese (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): The elusive "dwarf bee" of the Galapagos Archipelago

Author
item Gonzalez, Victor
item KOCH, JONATHAN - Utah State University
item Griswold, Terry

Submitted to: Biological Invasions
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/3/2009
Publication Date: 2/1/2010
Citation: Gonzalez, V.H., Koch, J.B., Griswold, T.L. 2010. Anthidium vigintiduopunctatum Friese (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): The elusive "dwarf bee" of the Galapagos Archipelago. Biological Invasions. 12:2381-2383.

Interpretive Summary: An endemic species of carpenter bees was the only known pollinator in the Galapagos Archipelago but a second pollinator of a different group (carder bees) might be also present. We discussed whether this species is a previously undetected native bee or a recent adventive species to the Galapagos and used a computerized model to predict its distribution in the Archipelago.

Technical Abstract: The endemic large carpenter bee, Xylocopa darwini Cockerell, was the only known bee pollinator to the Galapagos Archipelago but as early as 1964 locals also spoke of the "dwarf bee of Floreana". We report the presence of the wool carder bee, Anthidium vigintiduopunctatum Friese, on the island of Floreana and use a species distribution model to predict its distribution in the Archipelago. We found that this species has the potential to invade almost one-third the surface area of the Galapagos archipelago, primarily in low arid areas. Given that carder bees are uncommonly collected, we discuss whether this species is a previously undetected native bee or a recent adventive species to the Galapagos.