Der tägliche Arthropode – Ausgabe Nr. 272

Lasioglossum is a genus of bees that are very variable in size, color, and body structure. They range from 3.5 to 12 mm in length and can have a black, brown, green, blue, or bronze body. Males often have a red abdomen, while females have a brush on their hind legs and a bare longitudinal furrow lined with hairs at the end of their abdomen. Lasioglossum species do not have bright hair bands on the ends of their tergites but often have them at the base of the segments. They also have reduced wing venation. Most Lasioglossum species live in varying social communities, including solitary, communal, and eusocial species. They typically overwinter in nests, and in the spring, the females raise the first brood themselves. The offspring then take over the care of the brood. Nests can be founded by a single female or multiple females. Most species nest in the ground, while some nest in decaying tree trunks. Lasioglossum species are mostly generalist feeders, but there are also kleptoparasites, nocturnal flyers, and oligolectic species (specialized on a few food plants). The genus Lasioglossum belongs to the subfamily Halictinae, tribe Halictini. It is divided into two series, the Lasioglossum series, consisting mostly of solitary or communal species, and the Hemihalictus series, containing species with a wide range of social behaviors, including kleptoparasitic and social parasitic species. There are 88 native species of Lasioglossum in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, with many being rare and difficult to identify. Some common species include Lasioglossum albipes, Lasioglossum calceatum, and Lasioglossum zonulum. The European Lasioglossum calceatum and Lasioglossum malachurum, as well as the North American Lasioglossum zephyrum and Lasioglossum marginatum, are better-known species. Lasioglossum marginatum has a multi-year life cycle and a unique caste system.