Lasioglossum pilosum

(Smith, 1853)

sweat bee

Lasioglossum pilosum is a of sweat bee in the Halictidae, described by Smith in 1853. It is a known to visit flowers of diverse plant species and has been documented pollinating commercial fruit crops including apples. The species is native to North America, with confirmed records from the northeastern United States including Vermont. Like other halictid bees, it exhibits the characteristic of lapping human perspiration for salts and minerals. Females possess a sting that has been described as mildly irritating relative to other stinging bees.

Lasioglossum pilosum by (c) Bill Keim, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Lasioglossum imitatum 124907134 by James Kindt. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Lasioglossum imitatum 124907188 by James Kindt. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Lasioglossum pilosum: /ˌlæsi.oʊˈɡlɒsəm pɪˈloʊsəm/

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Images

Distribution

North America; confirmed present in Vermont, United States. GBIF records indicate presence in the northeastern United States.

Diet

floral visitor; has been observed pollinating flowers and commercial fruits including apples. have been documented lapping human perspiration for salts and minerals.

Behavior

Females are known to sting when threatened, though the sting is described as mild compared to other stinging . Both sexes have been observed visiting flowers for nectar and pollen.

Ecological Role

of wild flowers and commercial fruit crops.

Human Relevance

Documented of commercial apple crops. May deliver a mild sting if handled roughly or trapped against skin. Attracted to human perspiration, which it laps for salts and minerals.

Similar Taxa

Lasioglossum (Dialictus) speciesNumerous small, often metallic Lasioglossum in the subgenus Dialictus are frequently captured in bowl traps and may be confused with L. pilosum without close examination; L. pilosum is distinguished by specific pilosity and morphological characters described in the original species .
Halictus rubicundusAnother halictid sweat bee that shares the general habit of lapping human perspiration, but differs in being medium-sized with brown or blackish coloration and white bands across the , whereas L. pilosum is described as pilose (hairy).
Agapostemon speciesBrilliant metallic green sweat bees that share the 'sweat bee' and perspiration-lapping , but are readily distinguished by their striking metallic coloration not characteristic of L. pilosum.

More Details

Research bias in sampling

Lasioglossum , including L. pilosum, are frequently overrepresented in bowl trap relative to their abundance on flowers, potentially skewing diversity estimates in monitoring studies.

Sting characteristics

While described as 'mild' in comparison to other stinging bees, individual reactions to L. pilosum stings may vary considerably; at least one report describes a severe local reaction with significant pain and swelling lasting multiple days.