# Golden Furrow Bee (*Halictus subauratus*) The Golden Furrow Bee is a small, shiny bee that loves to visit flowers. They are important for helping plants grow by spreading pollen. You can often see them buzzing around gardens and fields! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![Golden Furrow Bee](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Halictus_subauratus_female_2.jpg&width=800) Photo: Gideon Pisanty ( Gidip ), CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Halictus_subauratus_female_2.jpg) ## Appearance The Golden Furrow Bee has a distinctive metallic golden-green body, especially noticeable on its head and thorax. Its abdomen is dark with pale bands, and its legs are yellowish-brown, giving it a unique shimmer among garden bees. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Halictidae - **Genus:** Halictus ## Interesting facts - Female Golden Furrow Bees often share a nest entrance, but still raise their own young! - These tiny bees get their name from their amazing metallic golden-green shimmer! - They're sometimes called 'sweat bees' because they are attracted to human sweat for salt! - Unlike honeybees, each female builds her own private cell for her developing larvae! ## Special abilities - **Underground Engineer:** Golden Furrow Bee can dig intricate underground nests because they have strong mandibles and legs that help them excavate tunnels for their young. - **Pollen Power:** Golden Furrow Bee has fuzzy bodies that help them collect and transport pollen, making them excellent pollinators for many flowering plants. - **Social Builder:** Golden Furrow Bee can live in small colonies with a queen and workers, which helps them share tasks and better protect their young. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 10-18 mm - **Size:** 7-9 mm - **Lifespan:** 20-60 days - **Flight Speed:** 15 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 - **Colony Size:** 50 ## Diet & Feeding These busy bees drink sweet nectar for energy and gather pollen to feed their growing babies! - **Primary Foods:** nectar, pollen, dandelions, clover, thistles, daisies - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Dandelion](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dandelion) (*Taraxacum officinale*) — Feeds on its nectar and helps in reproduction. - **Pollinates:** [Red Clover](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-clover) (*Trifolium pratense*) — Transfers pollen between flowers while foraging. - **Eaten by:** Flower Crab Spider (*Misumena vatia*) — Ambushes bees visiting flowers for a meal. - **Parasitizes:** Ruby-tailed Wasp (*Chrysis ignita*) — Lays eggs in the nests of other bees for its larvae. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [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 Be gentle and calm around bees; they help flowers grow! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Golden Furrow Bee? 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 Golden Furrow Bee's wingspan? 10-18 mm ### How big is Golden Furrow Bee? 7-9 mm ### How long does Golden Furrow Bee live? 20-60 days ### How fast can Golden Furrow Bee fly? 15 km/h ### What does Golden Furrow Bee eat? These busy bees drink sweet nectar for energy and gather pollen to feed their growing babies! ### Where is Golden Furrow Bee usually found? Urban areas ### How does Golden Furrow Bee hunt? Foraging ## 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: [Golden Furrow Bee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/golden-furrow-bee)