Andrena (Conandrena) bradleyi Viereck, 1907

Zarrillo, Tracy A., Stoner, Kimberly A. & Ascher, John S., 2025, Biodiversity of Bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila) in Connecticut (USA), Zootaxa 5586 (1), pp. 1-138 : 64

Andrena (Conandrena) bradleyi Viereck, 1907

Bradley’s Miner

Notes: Andrena bradleyi is most often associated with blueberry ( Vaccinium spp. ) (LaBerge 1985; Wood & Roberts 2018) although regional experts agree that this species is not a narrow oligolege of Vaccinium (J. Milam & M. F. Veit pers. comm.). Michael F. Veit (pers. comm.) has found A. bradleyi to be more common on leatherleaf ( Chamaedaphne calyculata ) than Vaccinium . In Connecticut, females and males have been observed visiting leatherleaf ( Chamaedaphne calyculata ) and willow ( Salix , two males only) as well as blueberry in habitats such as acidic bogs, swamps, littoral zones of ponds and lakes, blueberry patches, and pollinator gardens. Watson et al. (2023) recently reported a single female A. bradleyi collected on willow ( Salix sp. ) in Manitoba with a pollen load consisting of 95.84% Salix pollen. This suggests that this bee species may be able to facultatively use pollen from another plant family when its preferred hosts are not available.

Subgenus Gonandrena Viereck