Images

We have had pictures of this sand lover before, but just got this one fresh from a study of a local sand mine where with the state mines division they created new bee habitat as a trial and this sand specialist was glad to show up.

Lasioglossum sopinci, the undescribed male of this sand specialist, found along some lovely powerline...

Lasioglossum sopinci, the undescribed male of this sand specialist, found along some lovely powerline habitat on Patuxent Wildlife Research Refuge

Lasioglossum surianae, Male, Florida, Miami-Dade County

Lasioglossum surianae, Male, Florida, Miami-Dade County

From Bryce Canyon National Park comes a small Lasioglossum, similar to many other species of this specious genus. Western in distribution I know actually nothing about its life. Picture by Brooke Alexander.

From one of the coastal National Parks in St. John's County in Florida comes a lovely red-legged Lasioglossum tarponense. I think of this species as a sand specialist...living in the Florida scrubby sand coastal pine matrix that forms an important part of the natural matrix of the region behind the sand dunes.

Nacogodoches County, texas, Big Thicket National Preserve

Lasioglossum parvum...collected in Puerto Rico agricultural areas by Sara Prado

Lasioglossum parvum...collected in Puerto Rico agricultural areas by Sara Prado

Ah, a dark Lasioglossum, small, all black, a bit of gloss on the thorax, sides rough, angulate, like crumpled tinfoil, except black. Small, common, and expected thoughout the East.

One of many species of slightly metallic Lasioglossum in the Dialictus group. Lasioglossum perpunctatum is a northernly inclined species found in the Appalachians and up across northern North America.

One of many species of slightly metallic Lasioglossum in the Dialictus group. Lasioglossum perpunctatum is a northernly inclined species found in the Appalachians and up across northern North America.

In the Badlands of South Dakota comes a red-butted Lasioglossum. Most have dark posteriors, but not this one, which means that identification is simplified. But, one must still untangle this species from the handful of other species with red on the abdomen. Its still a mystery to me how all these Lasioglossums carve up the floral space.

The little metallic members of Lasioglossum all tend to look alike until you put them under the scope, once you do you see that some of them don't have pollen carrying hairs .... such as this L. platyparium. Those are members of the genus that are cleptoparasitic on other Lasioglossum.

A little parasitic Lasioglossum from Frederick County, Maryland. The female invades nests of other Lasioglossum species and lays her egg in their nest. The host egg/baby does not fair well after that. The most common of the parasitic Lasioglossum species.

Lasioglossum rozeni, Female, Frederick County, Maryland

Bryce Canyon, little tiny sweat bees, lots of different species. Not what people come to see, but what you now can see here because the National Park Service cares. Photography by Brooke Alexander.

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

Now, this is an interesting bee. Obviously it has occurred in Michigan, and indeed until quite recently that was the only place it was known from and in fact, was known only from one single specimen. However, it was so unique that was described by Ted Mitchell over 50 years ago as a new species.