Native to California, the Ultra-green Sweat Bee (Agapostemon texanus) is abundant throughout North America. It favors temperate regions including the southwest United States and is active from the late spring through fall.

These bees are a shiny green and are called “sweat bees” because they belong to the same family as many bee species that are attracted to human sweat. Females have a bright green head, thorax, and abdomen, and carry pollen on tiny hairs on their hind legs. Males generally have a green head and thorax with black and yellow bands across their abdomen.

Ultra-green Sweat Bees will excavate deep vertical burrows in banks or sloping soil. Most species are solitary but will often live communally with other Ultra-green Sweat Bees. They may share a single entrance but each female will construct and provision its own brood cells.

To see more photographs of the Ultra-green Sweat Bee, please visit BugGuide.net.

PHOTO CREDITS: Keng-Lou James Hung