Silky Striped Sweat Bee
Agapostemon sericeus
This record describes Agapostemon sericeus (species). Recorded family: Halictidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Rugose scutum See remarks. Only 4 Agapostemon species in Ontario. A. sericeus has the roughest thorax and three white hair bands on abdomen, the second hair band is usually wider. Dark legs with the longest golden hair. A. splendens has dark wings, dark legs, except the foreleg which is reddish-yellow. Reddish on the mouth parts. Hair on hind legs is deep golden and not too long, but quite thick. Watch out for the abdomen, it can sometimes look like sericeus, but the bands in between the segments are dark, in sericeus they are white. A. texanus is the hairiest of them all, unmistakeable, especially on thorax sides, the hair is yellowish-white. Top of thorax is quite shiny. Legs hairs are a little darker, but quite short. A. virescens female is unmistakeable as it is striped like the male.
Identification notes
Rugose scutum See remarks.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Trigonaloidea
- Family
- Halictidae (Sweat, Furrow, Nomiine, and Short-faced Bees)
- Subfamily
- Halictinae
- Tribe
- Halictini
- Genus
- Agapostemon (Striped Sweat Bees)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Manitoba south to central Florida; Massachusetts west to Nebraska. Discover Life Map
Seasonal Activity
April to October
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Visits flowers from several families. The Hosts section on its Discover Life species page lists known floral associations based on specimen records and images.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Agapostemon (Agapostemon) sericeus (Forster, 1771)
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Agapostemon sericeus. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).
Ecological role of the group
About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Silky Striped Sweat Bee (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Beatriz Moisset; Additional contributions by John S. Ascher , JohnMaxwell22 , hg , PaleoJon , Nathaniel Green
Frequently Asked Questions About Silky Striped Sweat Bee
What is Silky Striped Sweat Bee?
Silky Striped Sweat Bee (Agapostemon sericeus) is a species in the family Halictidae, within the order Hymenoptera.
How big is Silky Striped Sweat Bee?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Female | Length 10mm |
| Male | Length 10mm |
How do you identify Silky Striped Sweat Bee?
Rugose scutum See remarks.
Where is Silky Striped Sweat Bee found?
Range: Manitoba south to central Florida; Massachusetts west to Nebraska. Discover Life Map
What does Silky Striped Sweat Bee eat?
The diet of the Silky Striped Sweat Bee includes Visits flowers from several families. The Hosts section on its Discover Life species page lists known floral associations based on specimen records and images..
When is Silky Striped Sweat Bee active?
Silky Striped Sweat Bee: seasonal activity - April to October.