Poey'S Furrow Bee

halictus poeyi

Poey's Furrow Bee (Halictus poeyi) is a fascinating species of sweat bee closely related to the widespread Ligated Furrow Bee. Found primarily in the southeastern United States, this hardworking insect plays a vital role in local ecosystems by pollinating a vast array of wildflowers and agricultural crops. What makes H. poeyi particularly interesting is its complex social structure; these bees are primitively eusocial, meaning they form small underground colonies governed by a reproductive queen and supported by her non-reproductive worker daughters. Often overlooked due to their small stature, these bees are incredibly industrious. They earn their "furrow bee" moniker from the extensive, branching tunnels they excavate in bare, well-drained soil. Furthermore, they are famously known as "sweat bees" because of their curious habit of landing on humans to lap up perspiration, a behavior driven by their need to supplement their diet with essential salts and moisture that are often lacking in floral nectar.

Lebensraum: Found in open, sunny environments such as meadows, prairies, agricultural fields, and urban gardens where patches of bare soil are available for nesting.

Aussehen

Poey's Furrow Bee is a small to medium-sized insect, typically measuring between 7 and 11 millimeters in length. It features a dark brownish-black to slightly metallic head and thorax, with a robust, heavily punctate (pitted) exoskeleton. A key identifying feature is the presence of distinct pale, whitish or yellowish hair bands located on the apical (trailing) edges of its abdominal segments. Females possess dense brushes of specialized hairs (scopae) on their hind legs, which are often packed with bright yellow or orange pollen. Males are generally more slender, have much longer antennae, and display conspicuous yellow markings on their legs and lower faces.

ReichAnimaliaStammArthropodaKlasseInsectaOrdnungHymenopteraFamilieHalictidaeGattungHalictus

Poey'S Furrow Bee

Kategorie

Insekten

Seltenheit

Common

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Snaps

Mach den ersten Snap!

Interessante Fakten

As a 'sweat bee', it has a mild sting that is virtually painless to humans, usually only stinging if it becomes accidentally trapped or squished against the skin.

For a long time, Poey's Furrow Bee was thought to be exactly the same species as the Ligated Furrow Bee (Halictus ligatus) until scientists noticed subtle differences in their genetics and wing shapes.

To survive the winter, only the newly mated queens hibernate underground, emerging in the spring to start entirely new colonies from scratch.

Besondere Fähigkeiten

Forms underground colonies with a reproductive queen and female workers, representing a key evolutionary stepping stone between solitary and fully social bees.

Actively seeks out and laps up human or animal sweat to obtain essential minerals and moisture that are scarce in a strict nectar diet.

Digs deep, branching architectural tunnels in hard-packed dirt to create highly protected nursery chambers for their developing brood.

Maße und Details

Länge: 0-1 cm
Flügelspannweite: 1 cm
Gewicht: 0.00002-0.00005 kg
Lebenserwartung: 0-1 Jahre
Top Speed: 15 km/h
Gelegegröße: 5-30
Brutzeit: 3-6 Tage

Ernährung und Fütterung

Adults consume nectar for energy and gather pollen to provision their underground brood cells for the developing larvae.

Altersunterschiede: Larvae feed exclusively on pollen and nectar provisions left in their cell by the mother or workers; adult bees primarily consume nectar for energy.

Hauptnahrung

Nectar
Pollen

Nahrungssuche

Foraging

Ökologische Zusammenhänge

host plant

Spanish Needles

Bidens alba

Poey's Furrow Bee is a major pollinator for this common, prolific southeastern wildflower.

eaten by

Goldenrod Crab Spider

Misumena vatia

Crab spiders camouflage themselves on flower heads to ambush and consume foraging sweat bees.

parasite

Cuckoo Bee

Sphecodes spp.

Cleptoparasitic cuckoo bees sneak into the furrow bee's nest to lay their own eggs on the hard-earned pollen provisions.

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Sicherheit

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

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Häufig gestellte Fragen

Wie identifiziert man Poey'S Furrow Bee?

Der einfachste Weg, Poey'S Furrow Bee zu bestimmen, ist die Verwendung der Naturführer-App Snappit.

Was ist der/die/das länge von Poey'S Furrow Bee?

0-1 cm

Was ist der/die/das flügelspannweite von Poey'S Furrow Bee?

1 cm

Was ist der/die/das gewicht von Poey'S Furrow Bee?

0.00002-0.00005 kg

Was ist der/die/das lebenserwartung von Poey'S Furrow Bee?

0-1 Jahre

Was ist der/die/das top Speed von Poey'S Furrow Bee?

15 km/h

Was frisst Poey'S Furrow Bee?

Adults consume nectar for energy and gather pollen to provision their underground brood cells for the developing larvae.

Wo findet man Poey'S Furrow Bee normalerweise?

Found in open, sunny environments such as meadows, prairies, agricultural fields, and urban gardens where patches of bare soil are available for nesting.