Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU All PIRU Publications Pollinating Insects Research Unit 1973 The Bees of Curlew Valley (Utah and Idaho) George E. Bohart Utah State University G. F. Knowlton Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/piru_pubs Part of the Entomology Commons Recommended Citation Bohart, George E. and Knowlton, G. F., "The Bees of Curlew Valley (Utah and Idaho)" (1973). All PIRU Publications. Paper 790. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/piru_pubs/790 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Pollinating Insects Research Unit at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All PIRU Publications by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ,, ( Reprint from the Proceedings of the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters, vol. 50, part 1, 1973 THE BEES OF CURLEW VALLEY (Utah and Idaho) G. E. Bohart and G. F. Kn owlton Utah State University In America north of Mexico there are an estimated 4,000 species of bees distributed in approximately 110 genera. In Curlew Valley, 132 species in 33 genera have been identified, and approximately 25 additional unidenti­ fied species have been collected. lt is likely that at least 225 species in 40 genera should be found eventually. The bee fauna of Curlew Valley can be roughl y divided into the following 4 ca tegories on a seasonal basis: (I) Long-season , multivoltine species. Such bees depend on a succession of bloom, usually involving a wide variety of plants. The populations of these bees o ften fluctuate with the amount of bee-attractive bloom in the area. The mos t prominent species are honey bees (Apis mellifera L.), ( bumble bees (Bombus spp.), and halictine bees (most of which are sub­ social). (2) Spring species, mostly univolt ine. T hese bees fly from April to June, depending upon elevation, and visit fl owers of spring annuals or perennial ephemerals such as crucifers. Taraxacum, Zygadenus. Astragalus, Balsa­ morhiza, Hackelio, and Senecio, and spring blooming woody plants such as Salix, Rhus, and several genera of Rosaceae. The most prominent bee species in this group are in the genera Andrena, Osmio, Nomada, Anther plwra, and Synhalonia. Some of them, such as Osmia sec/usa, Hop/iris fu/gida, and Anthophora neomexicana, tend to fly during an intermediate period between spring and summer. (3) Early summer to midsummer species (late June through July). Such bees, which sometimes extend their season into late summer or even early fall. are uni- or bivolline, and a few may have 3 generations. They visit The 1969 preliminary terrestrial arthropod survey wa s conducted by Utah State University personnel, Ecology Center, as Projects 3 1 and 3 1A, sup­ ported by SF. Gifts and Grants Funds. Since that time, work has been carried on in connection with the Desert Biome, IBP projects to which the writers have been assigned. Logan, Utah 84322. April 1973. ( 2 L'TAII ACADD1\ PROCH DI NGS. VOL 50. PART I. 1973 such typically early summer blooming plants as Sa/sola, Sarcobatus. Achillea, Telrademia, Conium, Circiwn, Heliantlws nu((al/i. AJe/ilotus, and Medicago. Bees in ca tegory (3) include Nomadupsis. omia melanderi, Melissudes dagosa. Diadasia (except D. ena1•ara). Hylaeus. r erat ina. and most species of Megachile. The I:Jst 3 in particular tend to appear in early summer and continue flying until cool weather begins. (4) Late summer and early fall species (uni- or bivoltine). These bees visit such late blooming plants as Heliantllus annuus. Chrysollwmnus. Gutierre: ia, Grindelia, Solidago, and late cuttings of Medicago. The bees in this ca tegory. which are usually abundant. include S1•asrra obliqua. Dia­ dasw e1wvara, and several species each o f Colle res. Perdita, and Melissodes. At higher elevations. where the seasons are compressed. there is no distinctive late summer to early fa ll season, and the spring flight season is difficult to distinguish from the summer one. Within Curlew Valley, there are marked d ifferences between the species of bees found in the northern foothill areas and in the southern flat lands. To the south, several species of Andrena, Halictus, and Dialicrus appear on spring crucifers, after which few bees can be found until Chrys01hamnus viscidifioris blooms in late July. On this highly attractive plant. severaJ species of Co/leres. Dill/ictus, Hy laeus. Meltssodes, and o ne very abundant Perdita can be found , but their season is short in the usually dry summer because of the short period during which the bloom is att ractive. Along the edge of the irrigated fields immediately to the north and sou th of highway 30S, severaJ species of spring Andrena and long-season Halictines are very abundant on Taraxacum and a variety of crucifers. AJso, in the late summer, Grindelia, Solidago, and late blooming Chryso­ !hamnus maintain a rather varied bee fauna until mid-September. Around the northern validation si te, northwest of Holbrook. spring and early summer species are better represented than the late surruner group. Early summer species are especially abundant at the extreme north end where Qrcium, Melilows, and Helianrhus nultalli comprise important attractant bloom. At the higher elevations. a wide variety of spring and early summer bees occur in June and early July, but later o nly a few species, such as male bumble bees, male haHctines, and Melissodes rivalis are apt to be found. especially on late montane bloom such as Solidago decumbens. R udbeckia, Asler. and Petrophy wm_ A special ecologica l zone is repre ented by a series of partially stabilized sand dunes about 5 miles south of Holbrook, where in July Cllryso­ thanmus attracts several species of Perdita and Dialicflls uncommon or absent in other parts of the vaJJey. The principaJ nesting places for Curlew VaJley bees are in the soil and in pithy-stemmed plants. The latter are used primariJy by osmiine bees such r BOll ART. K 10\\ LTO:'I. UFLS Or CURLEW V LU Y 3 as Osmit:. 4sltmeadiella Jnd Hopfitis ami by 2 genera o f small black bees. l~ylaeus a nd Cer(lfina. Some soil-ne ting species such J Perdita prefer sand or unstru ' lured ::.il l lor ne::.ting. whe r ea~ Andrena Jnd Halictus are more lik .: l~ to use he:Jvy soil . JJ ntltoplwro neomexicana. Osmia texana. some l~vlaeus. and Megachife pacifica use preexisting holes in clay banks. Other ~lie:. ~a p i1alized on in Curlew Valley mclude rodent nest:> (Bombus), ~:revices or pockets in rucks (some Osmia ), beetle holes in logs and stumps. and crevices between rocks (some Megachile and Osmia). The following list includes bees collected as part of the Terrestrial Arthropod Surv :!~ 0f Curlew Valley. The principal collectors were G. F. Knowlton. W. J. Hanson, G. E. Bohart, D. W. Davis. and J . H. J udd. Most of the determinations were made by the senior author. The Dialicws were determined by G. C. EikwCtrt of Cornell University. :md many of the 4ndrena hy \\. E LaUerge 01 the Il lino is !\at ural History Survey. :'\amed localities ret erred to in Curlew Valley are as follows: Box Elder ounty. Uta.h : Cedar Creek. Cedar Hill. Curlew Junction (sometimes also call ed Park Valley Juncuon). Deep Creek. Hansel 1ountains. Hardup, Kelton (old townstte). Kel ton Pass. Kosmo (old sal twork s on the margin of Grc:a t Salt Lake). Lot:omotive Springs. Park Valley Junction (= Curlew J et. once named Showell). R o~ebud Ranch, Snowville. South Validation Site (northwest of Cedar Hill and 13 to 17 miles southwest of Snowville), Taylor Farms. ictor Land and livestock. and Wildcat Hills. Oneida ( County localitie~ in Idaho : Black Pine. Curlew 1'\ational Grasslands, Curlew Valley Reservoir (= Stone Reservoir). Ho lbrook (intensive work was carried on nea r ·on h Validation Site about 5 miles northwest of town). Holbrook Summil (6.104 ft. elevation). lreland Canyon. Juniper. Meadow Brook Creek. orth Validation Site (5 mi . .W. Holbrook), Rock Creek, Roy ummit (chieny the meadow areas 2 to 3 mi les south). Salyer Cow Camp, Sand dunes (about 5 miles south of Holbrook), Sheep Creek Mts., Stone, Stone Reservoir(= Curl ey Val. Res.), and Twin Springs. List of Specie Family Andrenidae- ..-tndrena accepta Vier. Curlew Valley (Stone) Reservoir. September I. 1970. A. ablegata Ckll. Rock Creek. May ~5. I 972. on Tara.:m cum A. birtwelli C'kll. Salyer Cow Camp, June 30. 1971. A. candida Sm. Holbrook. May 16. 1969. A. colletina Ck ll. nowville and Hansel Mts .. September 2, 1969, Hol­ brook. September 12. A. crassiltirta (Vier.). Kelton. May 27, 1969. Rock Creek, July 14, 197 1. ( 4 UTAH ACADEMY PROCEEDINGS. VO L. 50, PART I. 1973 A. crataegi Robt. Salyer Cow Camp. June 30 and July 14, 1971. A. cressoni Robt. Curlew Valley Reservoir, May I 0, Holbrook and Stone, May 16, 1969. A. hallii Dunn. Rock Creek, June 22, 1971. A. helianthi Robt. SnowviJJe and Hansel Mts., August, Curlew VaJiey Reservo ir. Holbrook, and Ireland Canyon, September. A. hirticincta Prov. Holbrook, Sept. 7. 1972, on 01rysorhamnus. A. illinoiensis Robt. Holbrook and Stone, May 16, 1969, on Salix. A. melanochroa CkJJ. Cedar Creek, Curlew Valley Jet., Kelton Pass, May, Stone. A. merriami CkJI. Rock Creek. May 25, on Hackelia. A. miserabilis Cr. Twin Springs, July 13, 1972. A. nigrae Robt. Curlew Valley Reservoir. Holbrook, Sto ne, May 16, 1969. A. norhocalaidis (CkJI.). 5 mi. northwest of Holbrook, June. A. piperi Vier. Collected at Cedar Creek, Hardup, Hansel Mts. , Kelton, Snowville, Black Pine, Holbrook, a nd Stone. Sometimes extremely numerous during late April to late June. Common on crucifers. A. prunorum CkJJ. Cedar Creek, May 16 and 27, Holbrook, Rock Creek, Salyer Cow Camp, Stone, May-July.