They are sometimes preyed on by the black-and-red cuckoo bee, Sphecodes prosphorus, which steals into the solitary silky Agapostemon nests and lays its own eggs there. Augochlora pura and Augochloropsis metallica green sweat bees, by contrast, tend to curl their bodies around flower parts and to hang from below or from the sides of flowers. (See photos in the above entry on bi-colored Agapostemons.) Augochlorella aurata bees are broad generalist pollinators that visit a seemingly endless range of wildflowers. All bees play an important role in the pollination of plants. Orchids will produce scents that attract males of a particular species of bee that is the ri… Subgenus:   Agapostemon Live adult Halictid bees photographed in the wild at various North American locations. Male bees have an enlarged hind tibia with a hole providing access to the spongy compartment which acts as storage for fragrant compounds collected from its environment. Scent-robbing and fighting among male orchid bees. PHOTO CREDITS:  All photos and text © Copyright 2014-2016 Paula Sharp and Ross Eatman, unless otherwise noted. Nests are located in any sort of enclosed cavity; entrances are often sealed off with resin and plant debris (Fig.4a,c). These tiny bees are usually green -- ranging from pale-green to yellow-green to coppery-green. Females construct nest cells out of propolis (resins collected from plant sources) (Fig.4b). The bee featured here was found feeding on goldenrod in August on a sunlit park trail. Pollination by euglossine bees. They emerge in spring to complete the colony’s life cycle. The wing membranes are darkened, but transparent. Since this arrival, the green orchid bee has become well established in South Florida. The blue banded bee is among a number of Australian wild bees with the ability to buzz-pollinate various flowers, much like the bumble bee. Subfamily:   Halictinae Male green orchid bees can be quickly and easily attracted and observed by soaking a small piece of paper with clove oil and placing it outside. Over five years, Gibbs peered through a microscope at thousands of specimens. The bees keep their nests well-hidden under leaves and grass, but occasionally you may observe one of these bees suddenly disappear into a hole in the ground. In the case of green orchid bees, this role is not entirely known in its naturalized range in Florida. Hummingbirds are so small that its smallest species weighs less than a penny. This behavior is presumably what has led to the complex interaction with species-specific orchids in their native ranges. This bee is mostly … Identifying Traits:   As noted, these bees are the smallest of the species shown on this page -- the Augochlorella aurata  shown here were all 1/5" or smaller. A particular orchid will provide fragrant compounds attractive to a specific species of orchid bee. Dressler RL. Agapostemon sericeus –  .4" - .45"  (medium-small). Silky Agapostemons are solitary and build their nests in the ground. The piece of siding also suffered damage from foraging by the eastern subterranean termite (Reticulitermes flavipes). Females have corbiculae (pollen baskets) for collecting pollen and propolis (plant resins). Photographs by Aaron Mullins, University of Florida, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center. Not one native bee is a state insect. These traits are shown in the photostrip at right. Following a line that runs from Tampa to West Palm Beach and south, the potential range extends tothe entire southern tip of the Florida Peninsula. Bees, Ants, Wasps and Similar Insects of California Showcase listing of Bees, Ants, Wasps and Similar Insects found in the state of California. In the summer, the bees can be seen visiting orange butterfly milkweed, wild phlox and goldenrod in sunny areas of the park and pollinating squash and a variety of flowers in Stone Barns' vegetable fields and gardens. Species:  Agapostemon virescens, All photos (c) 2014 - 2016 Sharp-Eatman Nature Photography, The abdomens of male bi-colored Agapostemons have yellow stripes. It has short, sparse black bristles (setae) and three cross-grooves on the thorax. This footage was taken on January 25, 2012 on a structure in Flamingo Gardens, Broward County, Florida. Also known as virescent green metallic bees, bi-colored Agapostemons are considered "gregarious" -- that is,  they band together in communal nests, with each female provisioning her own burrow. But they’re often confused with bumblebees, who don’t nest in wood or become problem… The male silky agapostemon has yellow markings on sixth segment of the sternum (the underside of the abdomen). Jun 1, 2013 - Hard to photograph, and there are different kinds of Green bees, Metallic Green Bees, green Sweat Bees. Carvalho Filho FS. Both genders have heavy, long bills that are curved downward. The bees seem particularly interested in an old, decomposing piece of pinewood siding rife with wood decay fungi. These bees are far less common in the park than the other green metallic sweat bees shown on this guide page. They are fast fliers and, when collecting pollen, they alight briefly on a flower before zipping on to the next. These stunning bees pollinate a variety of fruit crops, including melons, apples, blueberries, cranberries and blackberries. In early spring, these bees can be found pollinating the wild blackberries that abound in the park. They have a yearly life cycle split into spring and summer phases. Photographs by Aaron Mullins, University of Florida, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center. Contents: 1 introduction to hover flies, 2 Bee like hover flies, 3 Bumble Bee like hover flies, 4 Wasp like hover flies, 5 Other hover flies. Tribe:   Halictini Only a few species, divided into three genera (genuses) --  Augochlora,  Augochloropsis,  and Augochlorella -- range into the United States and Canada. [Photo © Copyright 2016 Julio Sharp]. Augochlorella bees are also common pollinators of apples, caneberries, strawberries, tomatoes and watermelons. Commentary by entomologist John S. Ascher at bug-guide.net highlights the following subtle traits that help distinguish Augochloropsis from other green metallic bees on this guide page. Bi-colored Agapostemons are polylectic -- that is, they feed on a variety of plants rather than specializing on a single kind. Pemberton RW, Wheeler GS. They visit an enormous range of flowering plants and are important in helping to maintain wildflower floral diversity. 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