Potter Flower Bee
EN

Potter Flower Bee

Anthophora retusa

UnknownLCEU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthophora_retusa

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Potter Flower Bee faces severe population declines primarily due to the loss of its specialized nesting habitat in soft sandstone and clay banks, which are increasingly destroyed by coastal erosion, quarrying, and development. Agricultural intensification has eliminated many of the wildflower meadows that provide essential pollen sources, while the species' narrow flight period makes it particularly vulnerable to climate-induced phenological mismatches with its preferred flowering plants.

Threat summary

Habitat

The Potter Flower Bee inhabits coastal areas and inland sites with exposed soft sandstone, clay, or sandy banks where females excavate deep nesting burrows. It requires proximity to diverse wildflower meadows and heathland with abundant pollen sources, particularly favoring areas with viper's bugloss, knapweeds, and other composite flowers.

Other threatened species in Apidae

VU

Guernsey Nomad Bee

Nomada similis

Unknown
VU

Flat-ridged Nomad Bee

Nomada obtusifrons

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CR

Nomada siciliensis

Unknown
Anthophore estivaleCR

Anthophore estivale

Anthophora aestivalis

Unknown

Threatened in Afghanistan

Calidris ferrugineaVU

Calidris ferruginea

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Asiatic Black BearVU

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Urial

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Indian Spiny-tailed Lizard

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Potter Flower Bee classified as Endangered?
Potter Flower Bee is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. The Potter Flower Bee faces severe population declines primarily due to the loss of its specialized nesting habitat in soft sandstone and clay banks, which are increasingly destroyed by coastal erosion, quarrying, and development. Agricultural intensification has eliminated many of the wildflower meadows that provide essential pollen sources, while the species' narrow flight period makes it particularly vulnerable to climate-induced phenological mismatches with its preferred flowering plants.
Where does Potter Flower Bee live?
Potter Flower Bee occurs in Afghanistan, Algeria, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, and Bulgaria (plus 32 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Potter Flower Bee?
The main threats to Potter Flower Bee are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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