First record of Andrena melaleuca (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae) in Europe, with notes on Sicily’s role as a gateway to Europe [05.10.26]
The wild bee Andrena melaleuca is reported for the first time from Italy (Sicily), representing the first record of this species in Europe.
Andrena melaleuca female on white background
Researchers Robert Zimmermann (KomBioTa member), Michael C. Orr, Hanno Korten, and Thomas J. Wood have reported the first European record of the bee Andrena melaleuca, a species previously known from North Africa. The discovery was made in Sicily, Italy, and is published in the Journal of Melittology.
This is the first confirmed European record of the North African mining bee Andrena melaleuca, found in Sicily. It expands the known European bee fauna and provides evidence that Sicily may act as a natural gateway for bee species moving from North Africa into Europe, across the narrow Strait of Sicily. Because A. melaleuca is a ground-nesting bee species, this record likely represents a natural range shift rather than human displacement. European bee diversity is considered relatively well studied, yet new species continue to be documented. Climate change could be an important factor for natural range shifts in bees.
Reference: Zimmermann, R., Orr, M. C., Korten, H., & Wood, T. J. (2026). (First record of Andrena melaleuca (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae) in Europe, with notes on Sicily’s role as a gateway to Europe)
Publication date: 29 Sept 2026
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