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

Shiny metallic green, pollen under the abdomen and quite small, I’d bee thinking Homalictus…

Shiny metallic green, pollen under the abdomen and quite small I’d bee thinking Homalictus…

Source: Gary Taylor

Pictured here belonging to the genus Lasioglossum (Homalictus), is the species Lasioglossum (Homalictus) urbanum, also known as the Emerald Homalictus. A small bee, no larger then 4 to 5 mm in length, this bee can be found collecting pollen under the abdomen, as seen here in the lotus flower.

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

Following photographs are of the Homalictus urbanum on the flowering Escalloniaceae.


  • 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 urbanum

Footnote & References

  1. Lasioglossum (Homalictus) urbanum, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Lasioglossum (Homalictus) urbanum
  2. Native urbanus halictid bee, Australian Pollinators, PaDIL, https://www.padil.gov.au/pollinators/pest/main/138385/18559
  3. Homalictus Bees (Homalictus), Aussie Bees, https://www.aussiebee.com.au/homalictus.html

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