Nature Preserve Finds Rare Bee in Avon

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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowBurnett Woods Nature Preserve in Avon has identified a species of bee rarely found in the eastern United States on its grounds. The bee is the first of its kind in the state of Indiana. The park attributes the bee sighting to a well-kept habitat that is boosting the number of pollinators in central Indiana.
“While we’re still learning a lot about bee species, we know this discovery is a big deal because the more native bees, the greater the opportunities for crop and wildflower pollination,” said Cliff Chapman of the Central Indiana Land Trust. “If I were a farmer or gardener in Hendricks County, I’d be excited about this.”
The bee was identified as Andrena uvulariae by a Hendricks County entomologist Robert Jean. The nature preserve that the insect was found on is an 80-acre piece of land that has been managed by the Central Indiana Land Trust since 1998.