A hairy-tongue bee
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A hairy-tongue bee
A hairy-tongue bee
Scientific Name
Scientific Name
(Lasioglossum arantium)
(Lasioglossum arantium)
Lasioglossum arantium is a recently discovered sweat bee that is rare and marked for conservation concern. It was found in the coastal regions of New Jersey and Maryland, specifically by Pocomoke State Forest in Worcester County (1, 2).
Female. Photo was taken from Gibbs, J. 2011.
Permission was granted to use this photo.Identification
Identification
Identifying Lasioglossum bees can be difficult, especially those in the Dialictus subgenus of which L. arantium belongs to (1, 3). Female L. arantium can be recognized by the combination of a reddish abdomen, a blackish-brown mouth plate, and many holes on the cuticle with the most prominent ones on the side of the thorax (1). Male Lasioglossum in general have a thinner body and longer antennae when compared with females (3). Male L. arantium can be recognized by the combination of a round head, brownish-yellow feet, brownish abdomen with red margins on the back, and short hairs on the underside of the abdomen (1).
As a recently discovered bee, L. arantium does not have any available pictures aside from the ones included in the article publishing its existence, so similar-looking bees have been included on this page instead.
Female. Photo was taken from Gibbs, J. 2011.
Permission was granted to use this photo.
Lasioglossum nymphale, a species said to be similar to L. arantium.Photo by USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab from Beltsville, MD, USA.Public Domain.
Lasioglossum pictum, a species similar to L. arantium females.Photo by USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab from Beltsville, MD, USA.Public Domain.
Life cycle
Life cycle
Most Lasioglossum bees nest in the ground, including L. arantium, which behaves eusocially (3, 4). This type of bee typically has females hibernate separately from the nest, emerging in spring to lay eggs in a nest of their own. Lasioglossum queen and worker bees are only distinct in behavior, where any dominant female can become a queen and be replaced if she dies. The primary female seals itself in the nest until the first generation of female bees hatch, and then they all go out to collect nectar and pollen. The next generation introduces males who mate and restart the cycle (3).
Lasioglossum arantium are most prominent in the summer, indicating their flight season is around then (4). Lasioglossum bees are generalists, but are the best pollinators of sunflowers (Asteraceae), given their shallow tubes the small bees can easily access (3).
Habitat
Habitat
Lasioglossum arantium has only been collected in sand dunes (1, 4).
Distribution in US
Distribution in US
Data from Gibbs, J. 2011.
How can you help?
How can you help?
As with other bees inhabiting sand dunes, preserving those is the primary goal.
Example of Plants
Example of Plants
Swamp sunflower
Swamp sunflower
(Helianthus angustifolius)
Saltmarsh fleabane
Saltmarsh fleabane
(Pluchea odorata)
References
References
- Gibbs, J. 2011. Revision of the metallic Lasioglossum (Dialictus) of eastern North America (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Halicitini). Magnolia Press, 3073(1).
- Maffei, C. and S. Droege. 2019. Xeric RCN Bee Data (2019). Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. https://www.northeastbarrens.org/copy-of-2018-bee-results. Last accessed 20 April 2022.
- Carril, O. M. and Wilson, J. S. 2015. The Bees in Your Backyard: A Guide to North America's Bees. Princeton University, 122-136.
- Selfridge, J. A., C. T. Frye, J. Gibbs, and R. P. Jean. 2017. The Bee Fauna of Inland Sand Dune and Ridge Woodland Communities in Worcester County, Maryland. Northeastern Naturalist, 24(4).
© 2020 Price Lab for Entomology, Min Oo and Dana L. Price
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