• Family: Halictidae
• Approximate # species in region: 2
• Common name: short-faced bees

Dufourea are odd little dark bees that fly in mid-summer. Our two northeastern species are both specialists – one on Pickerelweed (Pontederia) and the other on bee balm (Monarda).

While Dufourea may seem generic at a glance, upon closer examination they are rather unique: their heads are flattened and their antennal segments bulge out in the middle, giving them a “knobbly” look. Most similar dark Lasioglossum don’t have such flat heads and have smoother, more evenly cylindrical antennae.