Halictus rubicundus
Encyclopedia
Halictus rubicundus is a species of sweat bee
found throughout the Northern Hemisphere
. It is small (~1 cm), dark brown, with fine white bands across the apices of the abdominal segments. The legs are often somewhat reddish. The males are more slender, with longer antennae
and yellow markings on the face and legs; they are distinguished from males of similar species by the absence of an apical hair band on the terminal abdominal segment.
Its social behaviour differs depending on climate - it is a solitary species in cooler regions, but is eusocial in warmer areas, sometimes with solitary and eusocial colonies appearing simultaneously in the same population.
H. rubicundus nests are constructed in the ground. Nests are dug in spring by a single female who typically rears a brood of 5-7 offspring; depending on region, these offspring may be workers, future reproductives, or a mixture of both types. The nest entrance is about 5 mm in diameter and, typically, a small pile of soil (called a "tumulus") accumulates outside the entrance as a result of the female's excavations.
Halictidae
Halictidae is a cosmopolitan family of the order Hymenoptera consisting of small to midsize bees which are usually dark-colored and often metallic in appearance...
found throughout the Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
. It is small (~1 cm), dark brown, with fine white bands across the apices of the abdominal segments. The legs are often somewhat reddish. The males are more slender, with longer antennae
Antenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
and yellow markings on the face and legs; they are distinguished from males of similar species by the absence of an apical hair band on the terminal abdominal segment.
Its social behaviour differs depending on climate - it is a solitary species in cooler regions, but is eusocial in warmer areas, sometimes with solitary and eusocial colonies appearing simultaneously in the same population.
H. rubicundus nests are constructed in the ground. Nests are dug in spring by a single female who typically rears a brood of 5-7 offspring; depending on region, these offspring may be workers, future reproductives, or a mixture of both types. The nest entrance is about 5 mm in diameter and, typically, a small pile of soil (called a "tumulus") accumulates outside the entrance as a result of the female's excavations.