Master Gardeners of Ventura County
University of California
Master Gardeners of Ventura County

Posts Tagged: sweat bee

It's Pollinator Month: No Sweat?

In the sweltering heat of Solano County (100 degrees) during National Pollinator Month, how about an image of a sweat bee, genus Halictus, a tiny bee that's often overlooked in the world of pollinators. It's a social bee that nests in the soil....

A sweat bee, genus Halictus, sailing over a Coreopsis in a Vacaville pollinator garden. June is National Pollinator Month. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A sweat bee, genus Halictus, sailing over a Coreopsis in a Vacaville pollinator garden. June is National Pollinator Month. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A sweat bee, genus Halictus, sailing over a Coreopsis in a Vacaville pollinator garden. June is National Pollinator Month. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Friday, June 7, 2024 at 11:58 AM
Focus Area Tags: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

No Sweat....Just Pollen...

Look closely at a patch of California golden poppies and you may see a sweat bee (genus Halictus) collecting gold pollen. The pollen basket is on the hind legs but you'll see "gold" also dusting the head and abdomen. Native bee, commonly...

A sweat bee, genus Halictus and family Halictidae, collecting pollen from a California golden poppy, the state flower. Both the bee and the flower are natives of California. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A sweat bee, genus Halictus and family Halictidae, collecting pollen from a California golden poppy, the state flower. Both the bee and the flower are natives of California. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A sweat bee, genus Halictus and family Halictidae, collecting pollen from a California golden poppy, the state flower. Both the bee and the flower are natives of California. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A sweat bee, genus Halictus and family Halictidae, rolling in the pollen of a California golden poppy. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A sweat bee, genus Halictus and family Halictidae, rolling in the pollen of a California golden poppy. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A sweat bee, genus Halictus and family Halictidae, rolling in the pollen of a California golden poppy. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 at 7:57 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

A Sight to See Is This Bee

Ever seen a green metallic sweat bee? The colors are exquisite. This is a female Agapostemon on a purple coneflower at UC Davis.  They are called "sweat bees" because they are attracted to human perspiration. The genders are easy to...

A female metallic green sweat bee, genus Agapostemon, on a purple coneflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A female metallic green sweat bee, genus Agapostemon, on a purple coneflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A female metallic green sweat bee, genus Agapostemon ,on a purple coneflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male metallic green sweat bee, genus Agapostemon. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A male metallic green sweat bee, genus Agapostemon. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male metallic green sweat bee, genus Agapostemon. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Thursday, September 16, 2021 at 4:39 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Natural Resources, Pest Management

Just a Sweat Bee Foraging on a Black-Eyed Susan

"Sweat bees have earned their common name from the tendency, especially of the smaller species,to alight on one's skin and lap up perspiration for both its moisture and salt content." So write University of California scientists in their award-winning...

A sweat bee, Halictus ligatus, foraging on a Black-E
A sweat bee, Halictus ligatus, foraging on a Black-E

A sweat bee, Halictus ligatus, foraging on a Black-Eyed Susan in a Vacaville, Calif. pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The sweat bee, Halictus ligatus, moves around the Black-Eyed Susan. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The sweat bee, Halictus ligatus, moves around the Black-Eyed Susan. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The sweat bee, Halictus ligatus, moves around the Black-Eyed Susan. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The sweat bee, Halictus ligatus, covered with pollen, takes flight. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The sweat bee, Halictus ligatus, covered with pollen, takes flight. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The sweat bee, Halictus ligatus, covered with pollen, takes flight. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A flameskimmer dragonfly, Libellula saturata, munches on a sweat bee, Halictus ligatus. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A flameskimmer dragonfly, Libellula saturata, munches on a sweat bee, Halictus ligatus. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A flameskimmer dragonfly, Libellula saturata, munches on a sweat bee, Halictus ligatus. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at 4:32 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

Sweat Bee: Overlooked and Underloved

Let's hear it for the sweat bee.  It's one of the many tiny bees that ought to be honored and recognized during Pollination Week, June 21-27, but it's often overlooked. We've been seeing many of this species, Halictus tripartitus, in our...

A sweat bee, Halictus tripartitus, nectaring on a tower of jewels (Echium wildpretii) in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A sweat bee, Halictus tripartitus, nectaring on a tower of jewels (Echium wildpretii) in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A sweat bee, Halictus tripartitus, nectaring on a tower of jewels (Echium wildpretii) in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A sweat bee, Halictus tripartitus, twists as it forages on mustard in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A sweat bee, Halictus tripartitus, twists as it forages on mustard in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A sweat bee, Halictus tripartitus, twists as it forages on mustard in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Thursday, June 10, 2021 at 3:00 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Yard & Garden

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