Sweat bees

A general term for bees of the genus Lasioglossum , which belongs to the family Halictidae in the order Hymenoptera of the class Insecta. They are widely distributed throughout the world, with approximately 2,000 species. The genus Halictus is also called a sweat bee, but there are far fewer species and they are distributed more narrowly. The genus Lasioglossum is small, and one of its characteristics is that the vein of the forewing is strongly curved into an arc. Female bees also have a nearly triangular pattern on the tip of the sixth dorsal plate. They nest in groups underground, and there are many variations in their habits and nest construction, from those in which a single female bee builds a single nest to those in which several daughter bees born to a single female bee build a nest together with the mother bee, making them ideal materials for studying the evolution of bee habits.

Japan is home to around 60 species, including Halictus aerarius , Lasioglossum occidens , and L. duplex . The latter is the species whose nesting habits have been best studied. Its English name means "sweat bee," and in Europe and America there are species that swarm around sweaty people. Related bees include Sphecodes (which parasitizes sweat bee nests), Rhopalomelissa (which builds vertical "chimneys" made of soil at the entrance to its nest; there is also a rare species that collects rice pollen to feed its larvae), Pseudapis , and Nomia .

[Yoshihiro Hirashima]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

昆虫綱膜翅(まくし)目コハナバチ科に属するラシオグロッサム属Lasioglossumのハナバチの総称。世界中に広く分布し、約2000種を数える。ハリクトゥス属Halictusもコハナバチとよばれるが、これらは種類数もはるかに少なく、分布も狭い。ラシオグロッサム属は小形のハナバチで、前翅の基脈が弧状に強く湾曲するのが特徴の一つ。また雌バチの第6背板先端にほぼ三角形の模様がある。地中に集団で営巣するが、1匹の雌バチが一つの巣をつくるものから、1匹の雌バチが産んだ数匹の娘バチが母バチと共同で営巣する社会性のものまで、その習性や巣の作り方に変化が多く、ハナバチの習性の進化の研究に好個の材料となっている。

　日本にはアカガネコハナバチHalictus aerarius、シロスジコハナバチLasioglossum occidens、ホクダイコハナバチL. duplexなど約60種を産する。ホクダイコハナバチはその営巣習性がもっともよく研究された種類である。英名は「汗蜂」の意で、ヨーロッパやアメリカでは汗ばんだ人に群がる種類がある。近縁のハナバチにはヒメハナバチヤドリ属Sphecodes（コハナバチの巣に寄生）、フシダカハナバチ属Rhopalomelissa（巣の入口に土でつくった垂直の「煙突」をつくる。また、イネの花粉を集めて幼虫の食料にする珍しい種類もいる）、アシブトハナバチ属Pseudapis、アオスジハナバチ属Nomiaなどがある。

［平嶋義宏］

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