Chalk Furrow Bee
Lasioglossum fulvicorne
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) Timofey Levchenko, all rights reserved, uploaded by Timofey Levchenko
Overview
The Chalk Furrow Bee (Lasioglossum fulvicorne) is a small, ground-nesting solitary bee with a distinctive golden-brown coloration and metallic sheen. This specialized pollinator plays a crucial role in maintaining plant diversity in chalk grassland ecosystems, visiting a variety of wildflowers including members of the daisy and pea families. Females excavate burrows in exposed chalk soils where they provision individual cells with pollen and nectar for their developing larvae.
The Chalk Furrow Bee faces significant threats from habitat loss due to agricultural intensification and urban development, which destroys the chalk grasslands and calcareous soils it depends on for nesting. Climate change and the widespread use of pesticides further compound these pressures, reducing both suitable habitat and available food sources from wildflowers.
Habitat
Chalk grasslands, calcareous downlands, and limestone areas with sparse vegetation where females can excavate ground nests in well-drained alkaline soils. The species requires proximity to diverse wildflower meadows and chalk cliff faces for foraging on native flowering plants.
Other threatened species in Halictidae
Threatened in Åland Islands
Frequently asked questions
Why is Chalk Furrow Bee classified as Vulnerable?
Where does Chalk Furrow Bee live?
What are the main threats to Chalk Furrow Bee?
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