Genus Halictus
Species ligatus
This Halictus ligatus differs from the bee in photo three in size. It is a little larger but it has an over-sized head and large compound eyes like
Lasioglossum. Notice the three tiny eyes on the top of the head called ocelli--don't you wish you had those! I sometimes find sweat bees resting
in sunflowers on cool mornings just waiting for the sun to warm them up. Check out the mandibles on this thing! © Carol Davis, 7-30-2008
Stinging is not one of their hobbies (like yellowjackets!) and their is some doubt as to how attracted they really are to perspiration.
Sweat Bees usually build their homes in the ground or in wood and they are great pollinators. Most feed on pollen and some
are even parasitic, placing eggs inside their prey so the hatching larva will have a hot meal. © Carol Davis, 7-31-2008
Genus Lasioglossum
Tiny, tiny Sweat Bee with huge compound eyes and long antennae on Showy Milkweed at Bear River MBR. In my opinion,
Lasioglossum, with those slender athletic legs, resemble ballet dancers (I think this one is doing a plié). These blossoms
were covered with the little things crawling in and out of petal openings. There are about 280 species of Lasioglossum
in North America and you can read more about the genus at the Great Sunflower Project. © Carol Davis, 6-3-2007
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