Sweat Bee - (Lasioglossum spp.)

Sweat Bees earn their name thanks to the vast amounts of pollinating they do .

Staff Writer (4/16/2015): Sweat Bees are hard-working and mission-orientated. They pollinate a variety of plants in urban, suburban and rural areas. They can be found in parks, backyard gardens and open fields. They are most active in the late spring and summer months. Though they do not make honey, they are workhorses that help plants of all kinds reproduce in a variety of environments.

The fine bristles on the body of a Sweat Bee help the workers collect more pollen. They get covered in the small grains and unload their harvest back at the nest. Nests can be found in the ground. Look for holes or tunnels and give them a wide berth. females will sting if brushed against or agitated.

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Details of the:
Sweat Bee

Category: Bee, Ant, Wasp and Similar
Common name: Sweat Bee
Scientific Name: Lasioglossum spp.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Hymenoptera

Family: Halictidae

Genus: Lasioglossum

Species: spp.

Size (Adult, Length): 4mm to 14mm (0.16in to 0.55in)

Identifying Colors: black

Additional Descriptors: hairy, fuzzy, small

North American Reach (Though Not Limited To*): Alabama; Alaska; Arizona; Arkansas; California; Colorado; Connecticut; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Hawaii; Idaho; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; Mississippi; Missouri; Montana; Nebraska; Nevada; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New Mexico; New York; North Carolina; North Dakota; Ohio; Oklahoma; Oregon; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Vermont; Virginia; Washington; West Virginia; Wisconsin; Wyoming; Alberta; British Columbia; Manitoba; New Brunswick; Newfoundland and Labrador; Nova Scotia; Ontario; Prince Edward Island; Quebec; Saskatchewan; Mexico

* Keep in mind that an insect's reach is not limited by lines on a map and therefore may appear in areas/regions/states beyond those listed above.

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