Andrena rehni, f, left, New Haven Co. CT
The Lost Chestnut Bee. Have you seen this bee lately (that bee would be Andrena rehni)? No you have not unless you have been looking on blooming Chestnut or the blooms of Chestnut's mysterious sister, Chinquapin. As far as we can tell no one has seen this species for decades. Why? It seems that this is likely due to the fact that this bee is a chestnut specialist and since the American Chestnuts disappeared in the 20's and no one looks at the obscure Chinquapin, then, of course, there will be no records. Many do not realize that the chestnut was a pollinator powerhouse back before they all died. Providing tons of pollen in a forested environment in late spring/early summer when nothing else was blooming in the woods. There is so much about this tree that is special and stands out and now it appears we have one special thing to add to that special list. This specimen was found by Morgan Lowry on one of the state of Connecticut's chestnut groves. You can also make a contribution by looking for this species on American Chestnuts and Chinquapins. Photo by Cole Cheng.
We Are Made One with What We Touch and See
We are resolved into the supreme air,
We are made one with what we touch and see,
With our heart's blood each crimson sun is fair,
With our young lives each spring impassioned tree
Flames into green, the wildest beasts that range
The moor our kinsmen are, all life is one, and all is change.
- Oscar Wilde. Original public domain image from Flickr