HymenopteraHalictidae – Sweat, Furrow, Nomiine, and Short-faced Bees

Nightmarish Metallic-Sweat Bee

Lasioglossum ephialtum

This record describes Lasioglossum ephialtum (species). Recorded family: Halictidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.

Identification and Appearance

Nightmarish Metallic-Sweat Bee - Lasioglossum ephialtum — Contributed by Nathaniel Green

Part of the L. viridatum species-group, which are difficult to separate. Common

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
Superfamily: Trigonaloidea
Family: Halictidae (Sweat, Furrow, Nomiine, and Short-faced Bees)
Subfamily: Halictinae
Tribe: Halictini
Genus: Lasioglossum

Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.

Habitat and Range

Geographic Range

Ontario to WV to CO.

Seasonal Activity

Apr - Oct

Additional species information

Species notes from the sources

Etymology: Based on the greek word efialtis which translates to nightmare. Lasioglossum (Dialictus) ephialtum Gibbs, 2010

About Flies: the wider group

Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Lasioglossum ephialtum. Species-specific details appear above.

Group overview

Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).

Ecological role of the group

About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.

Economic and practical significance of the group

Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.

Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.

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