# Furrow Bees (*halictus*) Furrow bees are tiny, buzzing creatures that help plants grow by spreading pollen. They love to dig in the ground to make their homes and are super important for our gardens! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Furrow bees live in gardens, fields, and open areas with flowers. - **Also known as:** Ground Bees, Miner Bees, Sweat Bees ![Furrow Bees](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Bee_May_2008-5.jpg&width=800) Photo: Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bee_May_2008-5.jpg) ## Appearance The Furrow Bee has a sleek, often metallic body that can be black, greenish, or even bluish, with light bands sometimes visible on its abdomen. Its head and thorax are usually covered in fine, sparse hairs, distinguishing it from fuzzy bumblebees. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Halictidae - **Genus:** Halictus ## Interesting facts - Queen Furrow Bees hibernate all winter, emerging in spring to start new families! - Some Furrow Bees shimmer with beautiful metallic green or blue colors! - They are called 'sweat bees' because they are attracted to the salt in human sweat! - They build cozy underground nests, sometimes sharing an entrance with neighbors! ## Special abilities - **Underground Architects:** Furrow Bees can dig intricate tunnels in the soil because it provides a safe, temperature-controlled nursery for their developing young. - **Sweat Sippers:** Furrow Bees can land on humans and animals to sip sweat, because it provides them with vital salts and minerals for their diet. - **Flexible Families:** Furrow Bees can live alone or in small family groups, because some species exhibit primitive social behavior where daughters help their mother. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 7-15 mm - **Size:** 4-10 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-365 days - **Flight Speed:** 10 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 - **Colony Size:** 1-50 ## Diet & Feeding These tiny bees sip flower nectar for energy and gather pollen to feed their growing babies. - **Age differences:** Larvae eat stored pollen and nectar collected by the mother; adults forage for themselves. - **Primary Foods:** flower nectar, flower pollen - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Sunflower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sunflower) (*Helianthus annuus*) — Helps fertilize this popular flower, leading to seed production. - **Pollinates:** [Dandelion](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dandelion) (*Taraxacum officinale*) — Visits these common lawn flowers, aiding their reproduction. - **Eaten by:** Flower Crab Spider (*Misumena vatia*) — Sometimes ambushed by this camouflaged spider while visiting flowers. - **Parasitizes:** Cuckoo Bee (*Sphecodes monilicornis*) — Lays its eggs in Furrow Bee nests, stealing their pollen provisions. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Furrow Bees? Compare the antennae, wings, waist, body hair and legs. Yellow and black stripes show up on bees, wasps and harmless mimics alike. Bee & Wasp Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Furrow Bees's wingspan? 7-15 mm ### How big is Furrow Bees? 4-10 mm ### How long does Furrow Bees live? 30-365 days ### How fast can Furrow Bees fly? 10 km/h ### What does Furrow Bees eat? These tiny bees sip flower nectar for energy and gather pollen to feed their growing babies. ### Where is Furrow Bees usually found? Furrow bees live in gardens, fields, and open areas with flowers. ### How does Furrow Bees hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Bready Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bready-park) — Virginia, US · Park ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Furrow Bees: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/furrow-bees)