Eastern and central North America, from southern Canada through much of the eastern United States.
Fine-art photographic collection
Andrena nasonii
A spring mining bee whose body size directly changes how much pollen reaches the nest.
About this species
Andrena nasoniiRobertson, 1895
Information reviewed15 July 2026
Andrena nasonii is a common eastern North American mining bee and an important pollinator of spring flowers. Research has shown that landscape simplification can shrink adult females, with measurable consequences for every pollen-gathering trip.
Taxonomy
Animalia · Arthropoda · Insecta · Hymenoptera · Andrenidae · Andrena
Accepted species or infraspecific taxon in the current GBIF/Catalogue of Life treatment; unsupported details have been omitted rather than inferred. · checked 2026-07-15
Eastern North AmericaBroad documented range and selected occurrence localities — not a complete occurrence map.
Open or semi-open flower-rich habitat with suitable soil for nesting; exact preferences vary across the species range.
Seasonal and diurnal; the precise flight period varies with latitude and climate.
Adults take nectar; females collect pollen to provision brood cells.
Solitary ground-nesting bee; several females may nest close together.
What makes this species remarkable?
Females from simplified landscapes were smaller, and the smallest individuals carried pollen loads about forty percent lighter than those of larger bees.
Because each female provisions her brood alone, reduced body size can translate directly into less food delivered to every developing offspring.
The bee emerges during the brief spring flowering pulse, linking its entire above-ground adult life to trees and herbs that bloom before the canopy closes.