Images

Lasioglossum forbesii - A relatively uncommon sweat bee from near Front Royal, Virginia at the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Queens New York has rare bees. In this case this Lasioglossum georgeickworti was found at the very tip of breezy point, which for some reason has escaped development and remains a very high quality natural area, filled with dunes and rare bees. Photograph by Brooke Alexander.

Of the many types of shiny little sweat bees, this is a large one, not that anyone would notice. Named after the Gotham of Gotham City this species occurs sparingly often in woodlands in the East

Of the many types of shiny little sweat bees, this is a large one, not that anyone would notice. Named after the Gotham of Gotham City this species occurs sparingly often in woodlands in the East

Lasioglossum gotham is a small sweat bee, that I find mostly in the early spring, mostly in Woodlands and I suspect it is very much keyed in to nesting in upturned root masses of trees in those woodlands.

Captured as part of a Global Climate Change investigation in National Park Dune systems, yet another tricky Dialictus is photographed here. As the name suggests it is a lover of salt, in this case, salt marshes.. Photograph taken by Kamren Jefferson, bee captured in Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve

Captured as part of a Global Climate Change investigation in National Park Dune systems, yet another tricky Dialictus is photographed here. As the name suggests it is a lover of salt, in this case, salt marshes.. Photograph taken by Kamren Jefferson, bee captured in Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve

One of the most common and plain bees in the East. This is the very small Lasioglossum hitchensi. Its commoness did not prevent it from being undescribed scientifically. In only the last 10 years was it given a name by Jason Gibbs, who extracted it from many confusing and similar look alike species.

A common and rather plain sweat bee. Lasioglossum hitchensi. Decorated with pumpkin pollen...some of the largest pollen grains in the world. Collected by Laura Russo in Pennsylvania. Photo by Greta Forbes.

A common little bee of the Badlands. Lasioglossum incompletum is at the eastern edge of its range here at the Badlands. No one really realizes that the world is dominated by small bees. So much for bumble bees. Picture by Anders Croft.

A common little bee of the Badlands. Lasioglossum incompletum is at the eastern edge of its range here at the Badlands. No one really realizes that the world is dominated by small bees. So much for bumble bees. Picture by Anders Croft.

Catching up...Here is a not that great shot of Lasioglossum inconditum from Fossil Butte National Monument in Wyoming.

Male Lasioglossum can be tricky. Here is one of the dark ones from the highly bee productive Fossil Butte National Monument.

Male Lasioglossum can be tricky. Here is one of the dark ones from the highly bee productive Fossil Butte National Monument.

Lasioglossum leucozonium

Grand Tetons have the grand Lasioglossum lilliputense. Very cute. Photography by Brooke Alexander. Photography Information: Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200.

One of what seem like one billion different kinds of small shiny slightly metallic Lasioglossum species. This one characterized by very sparse pitting on the top of the thorax and bit more glintyness on the abdomen (yep, not great characters).

Lasioglossum lineatulum is defined in my mind by having relatively few pits on its scutum, a shinyish abdomen, and long straitions on the propodeal triangle. Otherwise it looks similar to the 100 plus other species in the group. This one was captured on Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan.

From Cumberland Island National Seashore another little Lasioglossum from the glossy metallic Dialictus group. As its name implies...it has an unusually long head.

From Cumberland Island National Seashore another little Lasioglossum from the glossy metallic Dialictus group. As its name implies...it has an unusually long head.

Lasioglossum marinense, from the San Juan Islands National Historic Park, found in the eastern parts of the Pacific Northwest. Photograph by Dejen Mengis.