Agapostemon | |
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Agapostemon texanus male | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Halictidae |
Tribe: | Halictini |
Genus: | Agapostemon Guérin-Méneville, 1844 |
The genus Agapostemon (literally "stamen loving") is a common group of Western Hemisphere sweat bees.
They are members of the family of bees known as Halictidae. Unlike other sweat bees, they are not attracted to human sweat.[1] They are generally green or blue, especially the head and thorax. Sometimes the abdomen in females is green or blue, although it may be striped, and most males have the yellow-striped abdomen on a black or metallic background. They superficially resemble various members of another tribe, the Augochlorini, which are also typically metallic green.