Rare bees discovered in Wisconsin

PanARMENIAN.Net - Scientists recently discovered one of the rarest bees in North America in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest near Lakewood, Wisconsin, WLUK FOX 11 reports.

U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service scientists were inventorying bees on the Lakewood half of the Lakewood-Laona Ranger District in mid-July when they captured two male Epeoloides pilosulus at Chickadee Barrens.

A third male was captured the next day.

Though long suspected to be in the Lakewood area, these are the first confirmed records of the bee species in Wisconsin since 1910 when it was caught in Dane County.

According to wildlife officials, Epeoloides pilosulus specializes in the collection of floral oils and pollen from plants in the Lysimachia (yellow loosestrife) genus. Once historically widespread in eastern and central North America, this bee species was thought to be extinct due to lack of observations until 2002 when it was rediscovered in Nova Scotia, Canada. A single female was subsequently captured in Connecticut in June 2006.