BEFORE THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR PETITION TO LIST THE GULF COAST SOLITARY BEE (Hesperapis oraria) UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT AND CONCURRENTLY DESIGNATE CRITICAL HABITAT Female Gulf Coast solitary bee (Hesperapis oraria) on Coastal Plain honeycomb head (Balduina angustifolia) Above photo of male by Jim Cane CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY March 27, 2019 NOTICE OF PETITION David Bernhardt, Acting Secretary U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C Street NW Washington, D.C. 20240 [email protected] Jim Kurth, Acting Director U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1849 C Street NW Washington, D.C. 20240 [email protected] Gary Frazer, Assistant Director U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1840 C Street NW Washington, D.C. 20240 [email protected] Leopoldo Miranda, Director Region 4, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1875 Century Blvd., Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30345 [email protected] ii Pursuant to Section 4(b) of the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”), 16 U.S.C. § 1533(b); Section 553(e) of the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. § 553(e); and 50 C.F.R. § 424.14(a), the Center for Biological Diversity hereby petitions the Secretary of the Interior, through the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (“FWS,” “Service”), to protect the Gulf Coast solitary bee (Hesperapis oraria) under the ESA. FWS has jurisdiction over this petition. This petition sets in motion a specific process, placing definite response requirements on the Service. Specifically, the Service must issue an initial finding as to whether the petition “presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted.” 16 U.S.C. § 1533(b)(3)(A). FWS must make this initial finding “[t]o the maximum extent practicable, within 90 days after receiving the petition.” Id. Petitioner also requests that critical habitat be designated for the Gulf Coast solitary bee concurrently with the species being listed, pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 1533(a)(3)(A) and 50 C.F.R. § 424.12. Petitioner is The Center for Biological Diversity (“Center”) a nonprofit, public interest environmental organization dedicated to the protection of imperiled species and the habitat and climate they need to survive through science, policy, law, and creative media. The Center is supported by more than 1.4 million members and online activists throughout the country. The Center works to secure a future for all species, great or small, hovering on the brink of extinction. The Center submits this petition on its own behalf and on behalf of its members and staff with an interest in protecting the Gulf Coast solitary bee and its habitat. Submitted this 27th day of March, 2019 Tara Cornelisse, PhD Senior Scientist PO Box 11374 Portland, OR 97211-0374 503-283-5474 [email protected] iii Table of Contents Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 2 Natural History .............................................................................................................................................. 2 Taxonomy .................................................................................................................................................. 2 Description ................................................................................................................................................ 3 Life Cycle and Behavior ............................................................................................................................. 3 Foraging Range ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Habitat ...................................................................................................................................................... 5 Host Plant .............................................................................................................................................. 6 Historic and Current Distribution .................................................................................................................. 7 Conservation Status and Warranted ESA Protection .................................................................................. 10 Threats ........................................................................................................................................................ 11 The Present or Threatened Destruction, Modification, or Curtailment of its Habitat or Range ............ 11 Climate Change ................................................................................................................................... 11 Oil drilling and spills in the Gulf of Mexico ......................................................................................... 16 Pesticide spraying ............................................................................................................................... 16 Recreation ........................................................................................................................................... 18 Urbanization, Habitat Fragmentation, and Reduced Gene Flow ........................................................ 18 Overutilization for Commercial, Recreational, Scientific, or Educational Purposes ............................... 21 Other Natural or Manmade Factors Affecting its Continued Existence ................................................. 22 Loss of Pollination Mutualism ............................................................................................................. 22 Non-native honey bees and exploitative competition ....................................................................... 22 Disease or Predation ............................................................................................................................... 23 The Inadequacy of Existing Regulatory Mechanisms .............................................................................. 23 Lack of Threat Amelioration ................................................................................................................ 25 Lack of Connected Quality Habitat ..................................................................................................... 26 Request for Critical Habitat Designation..................................................................................................... 26 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 27 References .................................................................................................................................................. 28 iv Executive Summary Hesperapis oraria, or the Gulf Coast solitary bee, is an extremely rare and declining bee that was described in 1997. The bee has its current known range in secondary or landward dunes on barrier islands and coastal mainland Florida and, historically, in Alabama and Mississippi. The Gulf Coast solitary bee is unique because it is a member of the oldest family and subfamily of bees and is the only known member of its subfamily in the eastern United States. The bee is medium sized and has distinct alternating yellowish and black bands on its abdomen. The females can be distinguished because they have extremely hairy hind legs that assist them in creation of subterranean nests in the sand as well as to carry pollen to those nests. The Gulf Coast solitary bee is also a rare monolege (strict specialist) of the Coastal Plain honeycomb head (Balduina angustifolia), a self-incompatible plant. The Gulf Coast solitary bee is not formally protected in any capacity. The relationship between the Gulf Coast solitary bee and the honeycomb head has evolved over thousands if not millions of years in one of the most unique ecosystems in the world, the northern Gulf Coast. Florida beach state parks alone attract millions of visitors who want to experience this unparalleled ecosystem of soft sand and beautiful floral diversity. The Gulf Coast solitary bee is an integral part of this ecosystem, playing a vital role by effectively pollinating the characteristic honeycomb head, also known as yellow buttons. The bee is both an indicator and flagship species for conservation in the north Gulf Coast dune ecosystems, as its decline indicates the degradation of these fragile areas through loss of biodiversity and its presence serves as an icon for the impact of climate change in these shoreline ecosystems, respectively. Unfortunately, the Gulf Coast solitary bee is greatly imperiled by urbanization, pesticides, non- native honey bees that compete with the bee and degrade the plant community, sea level rise and severe storms caused by climate change, habitat fragmentation, lack of genetic diversity, and lack of protective regulatory mechanisms. While remaining populations of the bee are in state and national parks, these areas are not managed to protect the bee and activities that threaten the bee are ongoing. The Gulf Coast solitary bee also faces new and looming threats, including increase in sea level rise and incidence of severe storms that destroy its dune habitat as a result of ongoing and future global warming