Andrena (Graecandrena) hyemala Warncke, 1973

Wood, Thomas J., 1942, Revision of the Andrena (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae) fauna of Bulgaria and North Macedonia with description of three new species, Belgian Journal of Entomology 117, pp. 1-39 : 25

80. Andrena (Graecandrena) hyemala Warncke, 1973

ASCHER & PICKERING (2021).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. BULGARIA: • 2♀, Sliven env, 400 m, 19.v.2012, leg. P. Pacholátko, OÖLM .

NOTE. The distribution of A. hyemala has been confused. WARNCKE (1965) proposed A. graecella as a replacement name for A. strymonia Pittioni, 1950 which was described from southern Bulgaria. However, the holotype male actually corresponds to A. aciculata (see entry for A. aciculata above), and so Warncke applied the name A. graecella to female material, and listed new specimens from Greece. Importantly, the material from southern Bulgaria has a widened vertex, and the material cited from Greece lacks this character, Warncke believing that this simply represented local variation. However, it later became clear that individuals with a narrow vertex represented a valid taxon which was described as A. hyemala . Because of this confusion, care must be taken when understanding the application of the name A. graecella , the true A. graecella showing a range restricted to the southern Balkans, whereas A. hyemala is much more widespread. Both species are found in Bulgaria.