Texas Striped Sweat Bee
Agapostemon texanus
This record describes Agapostemon texanus (species). Recorded family: Halictidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Scutum of female shining and double punctate that is with punctures of two different sizes. Identification notes for males from John Ascher Note green reflections on terga, dark scape, and large femur Found here
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
widely dist. - Map (Discover Life)
Seasonal Activity
April to November (BG data)
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 texanus Cresson, 1872
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Agapostemon texanus. 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 Texas Striped Sweat Bee (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Brad Barnd; Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset , Mike Quinn , John S. Ascher , Aaron Schusteff , JohnMaxwell22 , hg , PaleoJon , Nathaniel Green
Frequently Asked Questions About Texas Striped Sweat Bee
What is Texas Striped Sweat Bee?
Texas Striped Sweat Bee (Agapostemon texanus) is a species in the family Halictidae, within the order Hymenoptera.
How big is Texas Striped Sweat Bee?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Female | Length 11mm |
| Male | Length 9-10mm |
How do you identify Texas Striped Sweat Bee?
Scutum of female shining and double punctate that is with punctures of two different sizes. Identification notes for males from John Ascher Note green reflections on terga, dark scape, and large femur Found here
Where is Texas Striped Sweat Bee found?
Range: widely dist. - Map (Discover Life)
What does Texas Striped Sweat Bee eat?
The diet of the Texas 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 Texas Striped Sweat Bee active?
Texas Striped Sweat Bee: seasonal activity - April to November (BG data).