Andrena (Callandrena) gardineri Cockerell 1906

Andrena (Callandrena s. l.) gardineri Cockerell 1906 (gardineri group) (New state record)

(Fig. 4)

County records: Van Buren.

Notes. Andrena gardineri is a specialist on Packera (Asteraceae: Senecioneae) (Larkin et al. 2008). A series of A. gardineri was collected from Packera aurea (L.) Á. Löve & D. Löve (originally identified as Senecio jacobaea L.), found growing at the edge of a ditch adjacent to a commercial highbush blueberry farm. Subsequently, a single specimen collected in 2008 was identified from KCIC. In 2016, collections were also made from Packera aurea in two additional sites in Van Buren County, and the bee was found almost immediately in each location, suggesting it might be quite common where the host plant is found.

Material examined. Kalamazoo Co.: Sand Creek Preserve, 10 May 2008, A.M. Fraser (1 ♀ KCIC); Van Buren Co.: Almena, 4.5 km NNE, 20 May 2014, Packera aurea, A. Adamczyk (2 ♀, 1 ♂ MSUC: RI); Almena, 4.5 km NNE, 21 May 2014, P. aurea, J. Gibbs (1 ♀ JBWM); Almena, 4.5 km NNE, 23 May 2014, P. aurea, J. Gibbs (2 ♀ JBWM); Almena, 4.5 km NNE, 18 May 2016, P. aurea, K. Odanaka (1 ♂ MSUC: RI); Almena, 3 km NW, 19 May 2016, P. aurea, J. Gibbs (1 ♀ JBWM); Gobles, 3 km NW, 19 May 2016, P. aurea, J. Gibbs (4♀ JBWM).