Anthophora retusa
Species of bee
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anthophora retusa, the potter flower bee, is a species of solitary digger bee.[5]
| Anthophora retusa | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Apidae |
| Genus: | Anthophora |
| Species: | A. retusa |
| Binomial name | |
| Anthophora retusa | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Anthophora monacha[2] | |
Distribution
A. retusa is generally found in Western Europe and southern Sweden.[6] In the United Kingdom, A. retusa is thought to be limited to five sites, including Seaford Head Nature Reserve.[7]
Identification
A. retusa can be differentiated from Anthophora plumipes by the hind-tibial spurs; in A. plumipes they are black while in A. retusa they are yellow or yellow-brown.[2]
Habitat
A. retusa prefers sandy soils and is generally found on coastal dunes and cliffs as well as inland on commons and heathlands.[2][5]
Population
A. retusa has suffered population decline since the Second World War but undergone rapid decline since the 1990s,[7] similar to that seen in some bumblebee species.[5][8] It is an endangered species in Britain.[9][10]