Abdomen, upperside or tergites, color | Female, abdomen, T1, hairs on the base of the segment, on the surface that faces the thorax - Note, these hairs are NOT like the appressed short hairs that are often found on the tergites, particularly T3 and T4, but are thin and similar to the other long hairs on the abdomen, however, what is special about these hairs is that they often form a FAN at the very base of T1, originating from the base of the segment near where it joins the propodeum on the thorax, these hairs are NOT upright and lie on the face of the segment, often the specimen needs to be rotated so that the hairs show up in the microscope light, note that the face holding the hairs can be hidden if the abdomen is not slightly drooping | Female, wing, weakened transcubital veins - See EXPLAIN for details - Note that males are scored for this character BUT can only sometimes be separated using this character, the weakening of veins is much less obvious, we would suggest that for males you use this only as a secondary character | Head, clypeus, color | New species from Jason Gibbs revision are being added to the guide and the guide is slowly being overhauled. Some of these species have not been scored for the characters in the guide. By clicking the RECOMMENDED button below you will remove those species that have not been scored at all and decrease some of your frustrations. Note, that species that are scored may not, as of yet, be separable from other species. We are working on that. It will be good to use both this key and Jason s keys to work out the identity of your Lasioglossums. | Sex, Total number of antennal segments, including the scape and pedicel | Shortcuts to groups within Lasioglossum - Click on 1 or more groups listed below, hit search, then hit simplify, and more questions will appear - Note that the groups listed below are not all exclusive, but members can partially or completely overlap with other groups - Males of the metallic species have yet to be scored and entered into the system - Be aware that separation of species in the metallic groups are often extremely difficult | State or province where bee was collected - Lasioglossum sensu strictu only | States or provinces where bee was collected - All species except for Lasioglossum sensu strictu | Thorax, color | Thorax, propodeum, edge or border between the top face - Also known as the dorsal triangle - And the rear face - At the bottom of which is the attachment to the abdomen | Thorax, propodeum, top surface - Also known as the propodeal triangle - AVERAGE length of striations in the central section as measured from the base towards the rim, IGNORING the one middle stripe that is normally longer than the others

Check boxes for all that apply. If uncertain, skip character or select several states. Then click on any search button.
Navigate with above index or scroll bar.
Number scored for a state is in green.
1. New species from Jason Gibbs revision are being added to the guide and the guide is slowly being overhauled. Some of these species have not been scored for the characters in the guide. By clicking the RECOMMENDED button below you will remove those species that have not been scored at all and decrease some of your frustrations. Note, that species that are scored may not, as of yet, be separable from other species. We are working on that. It will be good to use both this key and Jason s keys to work out the identity of your Lasioglossums.

25Display the species not currently included    140RECOMMENDED - Use the species currently with character scorings   
2. Sex, Total number of antennal segments, including the scape and pedicel

12212, female    2713, male   


3. States or provinces where bee was collected - All species except for Lasioglossum sensu strictu

37FL    91NC, SC, GA, AL, MS    110Outside of the other states   
4. State or province where bee was collected - Lasioglossum sensu strictu only

3AL    15CT    5DC    12DE    3FL    9GA    11IL    12IN    8KY    15MA    13MD    16ME    17MI    3MS    9NC    18NH    16NJ    19NY    16New Brunswick    15Newfoundland and Labrador    16Nova Scotia    10OH    18Ontario    17PA    15Prince Edward Island    16Quebec    15RI    9SC    8TN    12VA    18VT    13WI    15WV   
5. Shortcuts to groups within Lasioglossum - Click on 1 or more groups listed below, hit search, then hit simplify, and more questions will appear - Note that the groups listed below are not all exclusive, but members can partially or completely overlap with other groups - Males of the metallic species have yet to be scored and entered into the system - Be aware that separation of species in the metallic groups are often extremely difficult

52All black species, includes all or some members of Dialictus, Evylaeus, Lasioglossum, Sphecodogastra, and Hemihalictus groups    87Female, metallic, non-parasitic species in the past classified by Mitchell as Dialictus - Note, males of this group are not yet scored    16Lasioglossum sensu strictu - as defined by McGinley - All have only 1 weakened transcubital vein    12Parasitic species - Paralictus, as defined by Mitchell - Note, not all males have been scored and people often miss the fact that females have no scopa, so to be conservative click this box if the bee is metallic    4Sphecodogastra - As defined by McGinley - If you don t know this group then click this box to keep it in the guide   
6. Female, abdomen, T1, hairs on the base of the segment, on the surface that faces the thorax - Note, these hairs are NOT like the appressed short hairs that are often found on the tergites, particularly T3 and T4, but are thin and similar to the other long hairs on the abdomen, however, what is special about these hairs is that they often form a FAN at the very base of T1, originating from the base of the segment near where it joins the propodeum on the thorax, these hairs are NOT upright and lie on the face of the segment, often the specimen needs to be rotated so that the hairs show up in the microscope light, note that the face holding the hairs can be hidden if the abdomen is not slightly drooping

14ABSENT - No hairs present as a fan, however, there might be scattered upright hairs    44COMPLETE - Hairs form a fan across the segment with hairs running from the sides and across the top without any hairless break in the pattern    43PART OPEN - Hairs are present on the sides of the segment and fan upwards but there is a hairless break in the center, this hairless arc in the center is NARROWER than the regions to either side that do have hairs    30WIDE OPEN - Hairs are present on the sides of the segment and fan upwards but there is a hairless break in the center, this hairless arc in the center is WIDER than the regions to either side that do have hairs   




7. Female, wing, weakened transcubital veins - See EXPLAIN for details - Note that males are scored for this character BUT can only sometimes be separated using this character, the weakening of veins is much less obvious, we would suggest that for males you use this only as a secondary character    [Explain]

128BOTH second and third transcubital veins weakened    18Third transcubital vein ONLY weakened    4Wing only has 2 submarginal cells, third transcubital vein weakened   
8. Abdomen, upperside or tergites, color

127DARK-colored - Usually dark brown to nearly black, but at times with slight overtones of very dark red and in some individuals metallic glintings of green or blue visible in good light    17YELLOW or ORANGE, usually bright, but in some species slightly dulled by obscuring dark patches   


9. Head, clypeus, color

93All Dark    3All yellow    17Yellow or White on rim, can extend to up to half the clypeus   
10. Thorax, color

54Black    94Not black - Can be gold, blue, green, to a very dark brown, if dark brown or nearly black then with a strong metallic sheen   
11. Thorax, propodeum, top surface - Also known as the propodeal triangle - AVERAGE length of striations in the central section as measured from the base towards the rim, IGNORING the one middle stripe that is normally longer than the others    [Explain]

27A. Less than 50% of the way    51B. 50%    100C. 75% to almost to the edge    89D. All the way to the edge   




12. Thorax, propodeum, edge or border between the top face - Also known as the dorsal triangle - And the rear face - At the bottom of which is the attachment to the abdomen    [Explain]

117Edge smooth and rounded over without a raised line along rim, although there may be v- or u-shaped raised lines at the far sides    20Sharp transition, has a raised line - Also known as a carina - That runs along this border but is ABSENT in the CENTER - Be sure to look closely and be precise    20Sharp transition, with a narrow raised line -Carina - Across the ENTIRE edge - Look closely to make sure there is NO break in the center