The beautiful bright, shiny coloration of this little bee may make it one of the easiest bees in the garden to spot. Agapostemon, or metallic sweat bees, are solitary ground nesting bees, and require bare ground in which to dig their tunnels, so leaving un-mulched areas in your landscape can encourage them to make a home with you. Although it’s commonly believed that sweat bees are attracted to the moisture and minerals present in human sweat, this has not been proven. But whether true or not, don’t fear a sting from these tiny, peaceable bees–males don’t have stingers, and females will only use their sting if threatened. Simply brush them gently off and thank them for their excellent pollination services!
As generalists, sweat bees pollinate many plants, but have a particular penchant for members of the Asteraceae family, especially purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea).
Photo: Heather Holm, used by permission
