Osmia (Osmia) cornifrons (Radoszkowski 1887)

Gibbs, Jason, Ascher, John S., Rightmyer, Molly G. & Isaacs, Rufus, 2017, The bees of Michigan (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila), with notes on distribution, taxonomy, pollination, and natural history, Zootaxa 4352 (1), pp. 1-160 : 120

Osmia (Osmia) cornifrons (Radoszkowski 1887)

County records: Allegan, Berrien, Grand Traverse, Ingham, Ionia, Kalamazoo, Kent, Leelanau, Oakland, Oceana, Ottawa, Van Buren, Washtenaw.

Notes. This non-native species was intentionally introduced to North America from Japan for pollination studies in both Utah and Maryland, in 1965 and 1977, respectively ( Batra 1979; Rust 1974), and became established in the Mid-Atlantic states following the latter. It was shipped to Leelanau County, Michigan from Indiana in 2005 for pollination trials on cherry with subsequent imports from Pennsylvania ( Rothwell 2006; JG, pers. obs.). It is a potentially valuable economic pollinator of cherry and apple ( Batra 1979, 2007). The species is now well established in Michigan in both urban settings and semi-natural areas near urban centers. It can be collected in large numbers in the spring.