Lasioglossum (Homalictus)Lasioglossum (Homalictus) dotatum Lasioglossum (Homalictus) urbanum

The Homalictus is a subgenus of the genus Lasioglossum and are found in Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, east across the Pacific to the Mariana Islands, Samoa, Fiji and are a prevalent group in Australia. At the time of writing (19 January 2022, revised 9 June 2024), Atlas of Living Australia had listed 44 species.

More information about the reclassification — Australian Lasioglossum + Homalictus Form a Monophyletic Group — can be found in the link in the footnote2.

Genus Homalictus, WA © Gary Taylor
Genus Lasioglossum, Subgenus Homalictus, WA © Gary Taylor

The tiny Homalictus bees are no more than 8 mm in length, with many sporting metallic coloured glints that vary between species – aqua blue, dark green, golden green and orange.

Genus Homalictus, WA © Gary Taylor
Genus Lasioglossum, Subgenus Homalictus, WA © Gary Taylor

Homalictus Bees collect and carry the pollen on soft fine hairs underneath the abdomen (a characteristic of Homalictus), as well as on their hind legs. Whilst Leafcutter Bees and Resin Bees also carry pollen under the abdomen, the pollen is held on stiff straight bristles, and they do not carry pollen on their legs.

They can often be found visiting the flowers of pigface. The following Lasioglossum (Homalictus) urbanum was visiting the lotus flower in a fish pond in Alice Springs.

Genus Lasioglossum, most likely Species Lasioglossum (Homalictus) urbanum, Alice Springs, NT
Species Lasioglossum (Homalictus) urbanum on a lotus flower in Alice Springs, NT

The Homalictus species of native bees are known to nest in deep burrows in the ground, with the female of some species sharing a single nest burrow in which they lay their eggs.

The Homalictus shine metallic green through gold to shiny copper, depending on how the light catches them and the angle they’re on.

Lasioglossum (Homalictus) on Tamarisk, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Lasioglossum (Homalictus) on Tamarisk, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Lasioglossum (Homalictus) on Tamarisk, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Lasioglossum (Homalictus) on Tamarisk, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Lasioglossum (Homalictus) on Tamarisk, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Lasioglossum (Homalictus) on Tamarisk, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Lasioglossum (Homalictus) on Tamarisk, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Hymenoptera
  • Superfamily: Apoidea
  • Informal: Apiformes
  • Family: Halictidae
  • Subfamily: Halictinae
  • Genus: Lasioglossum
  • Subgenus: infrageneric Homalictus
  • Species:
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) adiazetum Walker, 1997
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) andrewsi W.F. Kirby, 1900
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) atrum Walker, 1986
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) behri (Cockerell, 1910)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) blackburni (Cockerell, 1910)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) bremerense (Rayment, 1931)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) brisbanense (Cockerell, 1918)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) callaspe (Cockerell, 1915)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) caloundrense (Cockerell, 1914)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) cassiaeflore (Cockerell, 1914)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) ctenander Michener, 1965
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) dampieri (Cockerell, 1905)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) dotatum (Cockerell, 1912)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) eurhodopum (Cockerell, 1914)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) exleyae Walker, 1986
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) exophthalmum Walker, 1986
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) flindersi (Cockerell, 1905)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) forrestae Walker, 1986
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) grossopedalum Walker, 1986
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) holochlorum (Cockerell, 1914)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) houstoni Walker, 1986
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) latitarsum (Friese, 1909)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) luteoaeneum (Friese, 1924)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) maitlandi (Cockerell, 1910)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) megastigmum (Cockerell, 1926)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) multicavum Walker, 1986
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) murrayi (Cockerell, 1905)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) niveifrons (Cockerell, 1914)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) pectinalum Walker, 1986
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) pilosigyna Walker, 1997
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) punctatum (Smith, 1879)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) rowlandi (Cockerell, 1910)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) scrupulosum (Cockerell, 1930)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) sicarium (Walker, 1997)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) simile Walker, 2022
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) sphecodoides (Smith, 1853)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) sphecodopse (Cockerell, 1905)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) stradbrokense (Cockerell, 1916)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) tasmaniae (Cockerell, 1905)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) tatei (Cockerell, 1910)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) thor (Cockerell, 1929)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) urbanum (Smith, 1879)
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) verticulum Walker, 1997
    • Lasioglossum (Homalictus) woodsi (Cockerell, 1910)

Following is only for reference, to show the previous scientific classification before the update. The updated and current classification is detailed above

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Hymenoptera
  • Superfamily: Apoidea
  • Informal: Apiformes
  • Family: Halictidae
  • Subfamily: Halictinae
  • Genus: Homalictus
  • Subgenus:
    • Homalictus (Homalictus) Cockerell, 1919
    • Homalictus (Papualictus) Michener, 1980
    • Homalictus (Quasilictus) Walker, 1986
Homalictus dotatus, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Lasioglossum (Homalictus) dotatum, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor

Footnote & References

  1. Many thanks for reference “Australian Lasioglossum + Homalictus Form a Monophyletic Group” to Cath McInne, Bee Aware of Your Native Bees (Australia), https://www.facebook.com/groups/beeawareofyournativebees/
  2. Australian Lasioglossum + Homalictus Form a Monophyletic Group: Resolving the “Australian Enigma”, BRYAN N. DANFORTH AND SHUQING JI, Department of Entomology, Comstock Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-0901, USA; E-mail: bnd1@cornell.edu, https://www.danforthlab.entomology.cornell.edu/wp-content/uploads/28danforth_ji_2001_systbiol.pdf
  3. Homalictus (Homalictus) Cockerell, 1919 – Classification, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:ea6f8b79-739a-4755-9956-deba92c78baf#classification
  4. Homalictus Bees, Aussie Bee, https://www.aussiebee.com.au/homalictus.html
  5. Homalictus, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homalictus (last visited Jan. 19, 2022)

Lasioglossum (Homalictus)Lasioglossum (Homalictus) dotatum Lasioglossum (Homalictus) urbanum

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