Halictus ligatus

Introduction:

It is a primitively eusocial bee species, in which aggression is one of the most influential behaviors for establishing hierarchy within the colony, and H. ligatus exhibits both reproductive division of labor and overlapping generations. It is among the species that mine or burrow into the ground to create their nests. They are easily differentiated from those of the closely related Lasioglossum by the presence of their pale fasciae hair bands on the posterior margins of the metasomal terga. In addition, the species is predominantly black or brown-black and lacks the faint metallic tints found in bees of the Seladonia subgenus. Females are distinguished by a large head with a distinctive projection on the cheek (genal tooth).
Life Cycle: In north temperate regions, H, ligatus has an annual colony cycle similar to that which is found in almost all other halictines, or social sweat bees, during which the cold winter ensures several months of complete inactivity during which only young gynes survive. Following this period, these individuals undergo a burst of nest initiation in the spring and produce workers during the summer before switching to male and gyne production in the late summer and autumn. In this context, "gynes" are defined as females that are unworn and have no ovarian development. Gynes will overwinter and later become foundresses by initiating nests in the spring. As a result, bees collected towards the end of the colony cycle display a larger proportion of males and young gynes than earlier samples.

Size 0.3-0.4 inch (7-10 mm), smaller than a european honey bee
Sexual Dimorphism: true
Metamorphosis: complete (egg, larva, pupa, adult)