Lasioglossum sextrigatum

Last update: 15 April 2019

SPECIES: Lasioglossum sextrigatum
GENUS LASIOGLOSSUM (Sweat bees)
FAMILY HALICTIDAE

OBSERVATION:
2021-V-182021-V-132021-IV-182021-IV-162020-IX-042020-IV-052019-IV-202019-III-292016-V-292016-V-282016-V-16

YEARS:
2016201920202021

MONTHS:
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The Sweat bee Lasioglossum sexstrigatum is a permanent resident of the garden.

1. DISTRIBUTION

This is a common bee in the Netherlands with the exception for the northern provinces and Zuid-limburg in the south where it is less common.

2. BEHAVIOUR

2.1. ACTIVITY

The species is active from the end of March until October.

2.2. DEVELOPMENT

The bee nests in sand and can occur in gardens in the spaces between the tiles ^{[1, 2]}, something that I haven’t observed in the garden myself.

2.3. NECTARPLANTS

The bee is common on ^{[1, 2]}:

Common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Alder buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula)
Willow (Salix)

In the garden the species is observed foraging on:

Firethorn (Pyracantha)
Meadow buttercup (Ranunculus acris)
Marsh-marigold (Caltha palustris)

3. IDENTIFICATION

In Dutch Sweat bees are called ‘Groove bees’ due to the characteristic groove feature on the female sixth tergite at the tip of the abdomen. The english name is due the behaviour that these bees are apparently attracted by sweat.

Enlargement of groove on abdomen Lasioglossum sextrigatum ♀︎

Characteristic groove on tergite VI of female

The bee is a small species measuring 5 – 7 mm.

It is recogniseable using the following characteristics ^{[1, 2, 3]}:

General

Black body ^[1]
Back edge tergites II – IV (topsode abdomen segment) transparent brown colored ^[2]
Thorax with fine punctuation, sides wrinkly ^[2]
Vertex (topside head) punctuated with clear spaces in between ^[3]
Inner backthy with 2 to 3 thorns (thorn with microscopic sawteeth, which distinguishes this species from L. sabulosum) ^[3]

Females

Antennae with 12 segments
Abdomen with 6 segments, segment VI with characteristic groove edged with hairs
Backside tergites with white hairbands ^{[1, 2]}
Mesonotum (topside thorax) matt ^[3]
Head wider than long ^{[2, 3]}

Males

Antennae with 13 segments
Abdomen with 7 segments
Base tergite II sunken ^[3]
Light yellow white color on mandibles, clypeus (front face) and labrum (lip above mouth) ^[3]
Sternite II (underside segment abdomen) not noticably long or dencely haired ^[3]
Temple usually with corner pointing down or a tooth ^{[2, 3]}