Square-headed Furrow Bee
Halictus maculatus
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
37
Countries
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halictus_maculatus
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Hymenoptera
Family
Halictidae
Genus
Halictus
Square-headed Furrow Bee belongs to the family Halictidae, order Hymenoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The Square-headed Furrow Bee faces severe population declines due to widespread habitat loss from agricultural intensification and urban development, which eliminates the diverse flowering plants and suitable nesting sites this ground-nesting species requires. Climate change and pesticide use further compound these pressures, disrupting foraging patterns and reducing reproductive success across its remaining fragmented range.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Open grasslands, meadows, field margins, and sandy or well-drained soils where females excavate ground nests. The species requires diverse flowering plant communities including composites and other native wildflowers for foraging throughout the active season.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Square-headed Furrow Bee faces severe population declines due to widespread habitat loss from agricultural intensification and urban development, which eliminates the diverse flowering plants and suitable nesting sites this ground-nesting species requires. Climate change and pesticide use further compound these pressures, disrupting foraging patterns and reducing reproductive success across its remaining fragmented range.
Habitat loss from agricultural intensification
Pesticide use and chemical contamination
Urban development and land conversion
Climate change altering flowering phenology
Habitat fragmentation reducing gene flow
Found in 37 Countries
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Square-headed Furrow Bee (Halictus maculatus). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/square-headed-furrow-bee