<i>Anthophora villosula</i> (Hymenoptera: Apidae): current status of an introduced pollinator in North America

Abstract Exotic bees are managed for crop pollination worldwide, with several species introduced into North America over the past century. Some introduced species have established populations and expanded their distribution outside of their managed ranges. While we lack research on most of these introduced bees, evidence of invasiveness, ie negative effects on the local bee and floral communities, has been reported for some of those species. These negative effects include competition with native bees, disruption of plant–pollinator networks, hybridization with native species, and pathogen transmission. In this forum article, we report on the ongoing distribution expansion of Anthophora villosula Smith, a Japanese exotic bee that has gone under the radar since its introduction into the United States in 1988. We revise A. villosula’s introduction history, report on its current distribution, and discuss its environmental impacts and future avenues for research and monitoring. We highlight the need for a better understanding of A. villosula’s ecological and evolutionary patterns, its interactions with native plants and pollinators, and the potential for surveillance of the species through online photo-sharing platforms and community science.