Bug FAQHairy Sweat Bee
Lasioglossum pilosum · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Halictidae
Also called: Hairy Metallic-Sweat Bee
Source: Wikipedia
Lasioglossum pilosum visits many kinds of flowers and even commercial fruit trees such as apples for food. If handled, it may deliver a slightly irritating sting that is mild compared with most other stinging bees.
Source: Wikipedia
Does it bite or sting?
When disturbed it can give a mild, slightly irritating sting.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It is a generalist pollinator that feeds on a wide range of flowers and crops like apples.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 39 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Michigan, South Carolina, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Can Lasioglossum pilosum sting people?
Yes, it can deliver a mild, slightly irritating sting.
Source: Wikipedia
Does Lasioglossum pilosum pollinate crops?
It visits and pollinates many flowers, including commercial fruits such as apples.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Halictidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasioglossum_pilosum
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.