Family Halictidae > Genus Augochloropsis
Augochloropsis
Metallic Green Sweat Bees
In Minnesota, there are three described species within the genus Augochloropsis. Bees in this genus nest in the ground and may have solitary, communal, or semisocial nests. Augochloropsis is one of four metallic green sweat bee genera that occur in Minnesota. The other three genera include Agapostemon, Augochlora, and Augochlorella. The genus Augochloropsis has one distinct feature that separates it from the other three genera — large, asymmetric or angular tegulae that are usually extensively green. On the first and second abdominal segments (T1 and T2), there is a row of stiff hairs, sparse on some species and dense on others.
Ranging in length from 6 to 12 mm (0.28 to 0.5 inches), Augochloropsis species are typically larger than bee species in the genera Augochlora and Augochlorella. Like the other green sweat bee genera, this genus has a metallic green head, thorax, and abdomen.
An Augochloropsis metallica female visiting Helenium autumnale.
wing
position
on flowers
N0. species in MN
3
size range
Phenology
Genus Characteristics
Tegulae green, asymmetrical or angular near wings (not oval), and large.
Females with pollen-collecting hairs on hind leg femora and tibiae.
3
1
2
curved forewing
basal vein
Forewing with three submarginal cells and strongly curved basal vein.
Males and females with green trochanter, femur, and tibia.
Distribution
Augochloropsis humeralis
Augochloropsis metallica
Augochloropsis viridula
Augochloropsis Species in Minnesota
Scientific Name | Formerly | Nest | Sociality |
|---|---|---|---|
Augochloropsis humeralis | split from Augochloropsis sumptuosa | ground | communal, semisocial |
Augochloropsis metallica | Augochloropsis metallica metallica | ground | solitary, communal |
Augochloropsis viridula | Augochloropsis metallica fulgida | ground | communal, semisocial? |
Source: Portman, Z. M., Arduser, M., Lane, I. G., & Cariveau, D. P. (2022). A review of the Augochloropsis (Hymenoptera, Halictidae) and keys to the shiny green Halictinae of the midwestern United States. ZooKeys, 1130, 103.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Bee Species List (August 2023). https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/mcbs/mn-statewide-bee-list.pdf
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Halictidae
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Citations and Further Reading
Droege, S., et al. (2024). The Very Handy Bee Manual: 2.0. How to Catch and Identify Bees and Manage a Collection.
Gibbs, J., Hanuschuk, E., Miller, R., Dubois, M., Martini, M., Robinson, S., ... & Onuferko, T. M. (2023). A checklist of the bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) of Manitoba, Canada. The Canadian Entomologist, 155, e3.
Gibbs, J. (2017). Notes on the nests of Augochloropsis metallica fulgida and Megachile mucida in central Michigan (Hymenoptera: Halictidae, Megachilidae). The Great Lakes Entomologist, 50(1), 4.
Mitchell, T. B. (1960). Bees of the eastern United States. Technical Bulletin No. 141. North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station.
Portman, Z. M., Gardner, J., Lane, I. G., Gerjets, N., Petersen, J. D., Ascher, J. S., ... & Cariveau, D. P. (2023). A checklist of the bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) of Minnesota. Zootaxa, 5304(1), 1-95.
Portman, Z. M., Arduser, M., Lane, I. G., & Cariveau, D. P. (2022). A review of the Augochloropsis (Hymenoptera, Halictidae) and keys to the shiny green Halictinae of the midwestern United States. ZooKeys, 1130, 103.
Wilson, J. S., & Messinger Carril, O. J. (2016). The bees in your backyard: a guide to North America's bees. Princeton University Press.
Page Photography Credits
Heather Holm
Joel Gardner CC BY-ND-NC 1.0 (Melittidae)
Ron Goetz CC BY-NC 4.0 (Nomia)