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Background: The two-spotted bumble bee, Bombusbimaculatus Cresson, 1863 (Hymenoptera, Apidae), is a common species in central North America, with few published records of this species in Canada west of Ontario or east of Quebec., New Information: Based on recently collected specimens from Saskatchewan and confirmed records posted to iNaturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org/) in the past 10 years (i.e. since 2013), we provide evidence that this species has only recently expanded its range in Canada, westwards into the Prairies Ecozone (Manitoba, Saskatchewan) and east into the Maritime Provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island)., (Cory Sheffield, Kirsten M. Palmier.)

Background: Sweat bees of the genus Agapostemon Guérin-Méneville, 1844 (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) are common and widespread in the Americas. Despite distinct morphological characters that were recognised in earlier taxonomic treatments, Agapostemonfasciatus Crawford, 1901 has been considered a variety of A.melliventris Cresson, 1874 since the 1930s and later placed into synonymy under A.melliventris in the early 1970s., New Information: A more detailed study of morphology (including examination of type materials), distribution and genetic data (i.e. DNA barcodes) of these two taxa suggests they are not conspecific. As such, A.fasciatus is resurrected as a valid North American bee species. Agapostemonfasciatus ranges further north in North America than A.mellivenrtis , reaching the southern Prairies Ecozone of Canada (Alberta, Saskatchewan), while most records of A.melliventris are from the south-western United States and northern Mexico. More accurate distributions for both species can be modelled as specimens in collections are identified using the diagnostic features provided. However, additional work is required on the A.melliventris species complex in the southern United States as genetic data suggest that multiple taxa could be present., (Cory Sheffield.)

Background: Only one species of large carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica (Linnaeus, 1771), has been recorded from Canada, albeit restricted to southern Ontario and Quebec. However, a single female specimen identified by Hurd in 1954 as X. varipuncta Patton, 1879 from British Columbia is in the C.A. Triplehorn Insect Collection at The Ohio State University (OSUC), suggesting that this species was accidentally introduced into coastal western Canada. As wood-nesters, many large carpenter bees are likely capable of expanding their range great distances by natural and unnatural transport methods while nesting inside suitable substrates, the presumed mode of transport into western Canada, and likely elsewhere. The ease at which the nests are transported has likely contributed to the nomenclatural and distributional ambiguity surrounding this species due to morphological similarities of specimens from North America, Hawaii, and several South Pacific islands., New Information: By comparing DNA barcodes of specimens from the western United States to specimens from Hawaii, we confirm the early opinion of P.H. Timberlake (Timberlake 1922) that specimens long established on the Hawaiian Islands are the same X. varipuncta from continental North America. Furthermore, these DNA barcode sequences also match those of specimens identified as X. sonorina Smith, 1874 from the French Polynesian and Samoan Islands, thus fully supporting the opinion of Groom et al. (2017) that all are likely conspecific. As X. sonorina , a species described from and likely introduced to Hawaii is the oldest name available, X. varipuncta is here placed into synonymy. Additional research will be needed to trace the timing and pathway of introduction and establishment of X. sonorina ; it is presumed that the species is native to the southwestern United States but has been established in Hawaii since the mid-1800s. It is also established in French Polynesia, the Samoan Islands, and likely other south Pacific islands, with additional records of occurrence from Java, New Zealand, and now Canada., (Cory Sheffield, Jennifer Heron, Luciana Musetti.)

Background: Thermacarus nevadensis Marshall, 1928 is an uncommonly collected mite associated with hot spring environments in the western United States. Information on its distribution and ecology are incomplete., New Information: In this paper, we report Thermacarus nevadensis from northern British Columbia. These records represent the first of Thermacaridae from Canada, the most northern records of this species in North America, and the most northern records for the family globally. We also provide short notes and images of the habitats in which specimens have been collected in Canada.