Agapostemon splendens

(Lepeletier, 1841)

Brown-winged Striped Sweat Bee

Agapostemon splendens is a of sweat bee in the Halictidae, commonly known as the brown-winged striped sweat bee. It is one of several metallic green bees in the Agapostemon found in North America. The species is distinguished by its brownish wing coloration and striped abdominal pattern in males. Like other halictid bees, it is a ground-nesting solitary that visits flowers for pollen and nectar.

Agapostemon splendens by (c) Steve Kerr, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Steve Kerr. Used under a CC-BY license.

Agapostemon splendens (9962435963) by Bob Peterson from North Palm Beach, Florida, Planet Earth!. Used under a CC BY-SA 2.0 license.

Agapostemon splendens by Natalie Allen and Stephanie Kolski , , U.S. Geological Survey. Used under a Public domain license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Agapostemon splendens: /ˌæɡəˈpɒstəmən ˈsplɛndɛnz/

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Identification

Males of Agapostemon splendens have a metallic green and with a black and yellow banded , and brownish wings that distinguish them from other Agapostemon . Females of most Agapostemon species are wholly metallic green and relatively hairy. The Agapostemon can be distinguished from the superficially similar Augochlorini (Augochlora, Augochlorella, Augochloropsis) by subtle morphological features typically requiring microscopic examination. Unlike cuckoo wasps, which they resemble in coloration, Agapostemon bees carry pollen on scopal hairs on their hind legs and are commonly found on flowers.

Images

Distribution

North America; Middle America. GBIF records indicate presence in both regions.

Similar Taxa

Agapostemon virescensSimilar metallic green coloration and body form; females of A. virescens have a black with bands of white hairs rather than the coloration typical of A. splendens males.
Agapostemon texanusAnother metallic green Agapostemon in the same geographic range; males similarly have banded and metallic green and .
Augochlora puraSuperficially similar metallic green coloration, but belongs to a different tribe (Augochlorini) within Halictidae; requires microscopic examination to distinguish reliably.
Cuckoo wasps (family Chrysididae)Similar metallic green or blue coloration, but distinguished by (cuckoo wasps are rarely found on flowers, move with quick jerky movements), and lack of pollen-carrying structures on legs.

More Details

Taxonomic placement

Agapostemon splendens was described by Lepeletier in 1841 and is placed in the tribe Halictini within the Halictinae of the Halictidae.