Michael Orr

A new bee species that excavates sandstone nests

Humanity has long been fascinated by animals with apparently unfavorable lifestyles [1]. Nesting habits are especially important because they can limit where organisms live, thereby driving population, community, and even ecosystem dynamics [2]. The question arises, then, why bees nest in active termite mounds [3] or on the rim of degassing volcanoes, seemingly preferring such hardship [4]. Here, we present a new bee species that excavates sandstone nests, Anthophora (Anthophoroides) pueblo Orr (described in Supplemental Information, published with this article online), despite the challenges already inherent to desert life. Ultimately, the benefits of nesting in sandstone appear to outweigh the associated costs in this system.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place: The (Re)Discovery of a Sandstone-excavating Bee

This is a story about rediscovering lost science, although I didn’t know that when it began. What I did know was that an extremely rare, undescribed species of Anthophora (Heliophila) had been collected exclusively in Grand StaircaseEscalante National Monument. But only just barely! From nearly 100,000 specimens collected during an inventory project there, only five specimens of this new species were found.

A review of the cleptoparasitic bee genus Townsendiella (Apidae, Nomadinae, Townsendiellini), with the description of a new species from Pinnacles National Park

Abstract The cleptoparasitic bee genus Townsendiella Crawford (Nomadinae, Townsendiellini) is a rare group restricted to the southwestern United States and adjacent Mexico, whose taxonomy and biology remain poorly known. This paper describes Townsendiella ensifera sp. n., the first known record of this genus from Pinnacles National Park. A key to the species of the genus is provided. Several potential areas of future research are also discussed.