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Halictidae

The halictidae are a family of hymenoptera which consists of dark colored, often metallic small to midsize bees. Most of the halictids nest in burrows in the ground, often with many of them often nesting close together. They may even share common passageways from their burrow to the outside.

One of the most interesting features of this family is the diversity of social biology that they represent. The social biology ranges from solitary species nesting alone to primitively eusocial species. Environmental conditions seem to be tied to the social development of these bees, although this relationship is poorly understood.