Lasioglossum macoupinense

(Robertson, 1895)

Macoupin County sweat bee

Lasioglossum macoupinense is a small sweat bee in the Halictidae, commonly known as the Macoupin County sweat bee. It belongs to the largest of bees, Lasioglossum, which contains over 1,700 . Like other members of its genus, it is a ground-nesting . The species was first described by Robertson in 1895.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Lasioglossum macoupinense: //ˌlæsiəˈɡlɒsəm ˌməkʊˌpiːˈnɛnsɛ//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

As a member of the subgenus Dialictus within Lasioglossum, L. macoupinense is a small sweat bee that would require microscopic examination for definitive identification. Lasioglossum are notoriously difficult to distinguish from one another, with many appearing as small, dark or metallic bees. Accurate identification typically requires examination of subtle morphological features such as wing venation, facial markings, and genitalia.

Distribution

Recorded from North America, with specific occurrence data from Vermont, United States. The name references Macoupin County, suggesting a type locality in Illinois, though this is not explicitly confirmed in available sources.

Behavior

As a member of the subgenus Dialictus, L. macoupinense likely exhibits the semi-social nesting common to many Dialictus , where nests may contain multiple females with some division of labor, though this has not been specifically documented for this species.

Ecological Role

As a halictid , L. macoupinense likely functions as a of wildflowers in its , though specific plant associations have not been documented.

Similar Taxa

Other Lasioglossum (Dialictus) speciesThe subgenus Dialictus contains hundreds of morphologically similar small sweat bees that are difficult to distinguish without detailed examination. L. macoupinense would appear nearly identical to many in the field.
Lasioglossum species in generalWith over 1,700 in the , many Lasioglossum share small size, ground-nesting habits, and general appearance, making field identification to species level impractical without knowledge.

More Details

Taxonomic note

The is placed in the subgenus Dialictus based on standard Lasioglossum classification, though this is not explicitly stated in the provided sources. Dialictus is the largest subgenus of Lasioglossum and contains many difficult-to-identify species.

Data scarcity

Only 6 observations are recorded in iNaturalist, indicating this is a rarely encountered or underreported . No peer-reviewed studies specifically addressing this species were found in the provided sources.