Look for a metallic green thorax and black-and-white striped abdomen. virescens females can be easily identified on flowers or with photographs taken with a phone camera. When temperatures drop, mated females enter hibernation in their natal nests until spring, and males die.Ī. virescens on asters like New England aster ( Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), goldenrods ( Solidago spp.), and sneezeweed ( Helenium autumnale). Sometimes, males will sleep together in aggregate in sheltered nooks and crannies– bee slumber parties!įall-active females sip nectar from flowers in order to survive winter, but do not build nests or lay eggs. They are not welcome back in their natal nests, so males find places to sleep outside. Males cloud around flowers waiting for the chance to mate. This generation consists of both males and females. In late-July to early-August, a second generation of A. Agapostemon virescens loves asters! Cup-plant (Silphium perfoliatum) is one of their favorite plants. In particular, summer-active females love collecting pollen from purple coneflower ( Echinacea purpurea), cup-plant ( Silphium perfoliatum), false sunflower ( Heliopsis helianthoides), and lance-leaf coreopsis ( Coreopsis lanceolata). Females can be found on a wide variety of plants-from roses, to strawberries, to sunflowers-but in general have a penchant for plants in the Asteraceae family. virescens females gather pollen and nectar. Females take turns guarding the nest, and the presence of a guard reduces the chance of a visit from an unwanted intruder. But Agapostemon has figured out a defense strategy: while some females are out foraging, at least one always stays back to guard the nest. Ground-nesting bees are at risk from predators that aim to steal the nest contents. A nest has one entrance (a hole at the surface of the ground) which is used by multiple females.

Like apartment complexes in the human world, many females (up to 30!) will live in a single nest, but each will take care of her own offspring independently.

Unlike the social societies of honey bees or bumble bees, Agapostemon nest in communal societies. Females take turns guarding the nests from unwanted intruders like parasitic flies and cuckoo bees. Agapostemon virescens live in underground communal nests. Mulched garden beds, sandy paths, patchy lawns are suitable nesting habitat. They use their natal nest or dig a new hole in sparsely vegetated soils. In mid-May, mated females emerge from hibernation and build nests underground. virescens are active for most of the growing season-typically from mid-May through late October-consisting of two generations of females. For a quick guide, reference Nick’s field ID tips.Ī. To help you spot one, let’s review its life cycle, flower preferences, and appearance. It lives mostly in the Midwestern and Northeastern United States (but with sightings from coast to coast).

The bicolored striped-sweat bee ( Agapostemon virescens) is a stunning green bee that you can find in your garden all year long. But did you know that not all bees look like that? One of the most common bees in eastern North America is slender, shiny, and green! Ask a kid to draw a bee, and they will make it big and fuzzy, with black-and-yellow stripes.

Sweat bee nests