Subject: What are these bees?
Location: Cleveland, OH
September 11, 2013 5:47 pm
Hi Bugman,
These guys have been all over my rose mallow flowers for the last few days in the evening (5-7pm). They zip around quickly until they decide on a flower, spend about 10-20 seconds inside, and emerge covered in pink pollen. They are about 3/4 inch long. They don’t seem to be very interested in the other kinds of flowers in the yard. This is in Cleveland, OH, about a half mile from Lake Erie, on the side of the house facing the lake. It has also been very warm here for the last couple of days — upper 80/lower 90 temps. Thanks very much for your help!
Signature: Laura
Metallic Sweat Bee
Dear Laura,
This is a Metallic Sweat Bee in the family Halictidae. There are numerous species that look quite similar. See BugGuide for additional information. Here is a Metallic Sweat Bee sent in exactly two years ago that reminds us very much of your image.
Hi again, I do think I’ve now managed to identify these as Metallic Sweat Bees, thanks to your wonderfully informative site.
Metallic Sweat Bee
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