Augochlora pura

Geographic Range

Pure green sweat bees ( Augochlora pura ) are widespread throughout the eastern United States and Canada. This species has a range that spans Quebec and Nova Scotia to Florida and Texas. They are found from April to October. During warmer years, that time frame expands to February to November.

• Biogeographic Regions
• nearctic nearctic
  • native native

Habitat

Pure green sweat bees are found in and near shady hardwood forests. Nests are commonly located under in fallen logs in forests. They may travel to nearby open areas to gather food.

• Habitat Regions
• terrestrial terrestrial

• Terrestrial Biomes
• forest forest

Physical Description

Pure green sweat bees are a shiny, brightly colored species of bee. They have oval black eyes and two smokey wings. Pure green sweat bees average 8 mm in length. They can be identified by the separation of the clypeal margin. The apex of marginal cell truncate. Their iridescent colors range from gold to green to blue. Female bees have 12 antennae segments, while males have 13 segments. Female bees are often larger than male bees and have pollen-collecting hairs on their back legs.

• Other Physical Features
• ectothermic ectothermic
• bilateral symmetry bilateral symmetry

• Sexual Dimorphism
• female larger
• sexes shaped differently

Development

Pure green sweat bees undergo complete metamorphosis like other bees in the order Hymenoptera . Larvae hatch from eggs, then pass through several stages of growth. Once the larvae have fully matured, they begin the pupal stage. During this phase, pupae transform into adult bees.

• Development - Life Cycle
• metamorphosis metamorphosis
• diapause diapause

Reproduction

Males will not pursue females in flight. Instead, males wait for females to land on a flower before attempting.

Pure green sweat bees mate in the fall. After mating, male bees die. Female bees will gather food to build up fat to survive the winter in hibernation.

Unlike other bees in the family Halictidae , pure green sweat bees nest under loose bark of stumps, rotten trees, and logs. Female bees build cells out of mud and debris from under the bark. She glues the debris together with her saliva and nectar. These cells can be two or three-dimensional structures. Once a cell is complete, the female will lay a single egg into it and seal it. The time from egg to adult is 17-40 days, depending on temperature.

• Key Reproductive Features
• seasonal breeding seasonal breeding
• gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
• sexual sexual
• fertilization fertilization
  • internal internal
• oviparous oviparous
• sperm-storing sperm-storing

Each female builds her own nest and produces her own offspring. The last generation of females to hatch in the fall will overwinter and start their nests in the spring. Males do not contribute to nest building or food gathering.

• Parental Investment
• pre-hatching/birth
  • provisioning
    • female
  • protecting
    • female

Lifespan/Longevity

The exact lifespan of pure green sweat bees is not known. The time to mature from egg to adult can range from 17 to 40 days. It is likely that females die after completing 9-12 nests. Most often there are 2-3 generations per year. Pure green sweat bees near the northernmost parts of their geographic range have fewer generations per year.

Behavior

As the name suggests, pure green sweat bees are attracted to the sweat of humans. They are a solitary species that prefers shady habitats. Female bees may overwinter together. Female pure green sweat bees start searching for nectar in the morning, followed by pollen foraging into the afternoon. The late afternoon is used for nest building and protecting.

As the name suggests, pure green sweat bees are attracted to the sweat of humans. They are a solitary species that prefers shady habitats. Female bees may shelter together throughout the winter. Female pure green sweat bees start searching for nectar in the morning, followed by pollen foraging into the afternoon. The late afternoon is used for nest building and protecting.

• Key Behaviors
• flies
• diurnal diurnal
• motile motile
• sedentary sedentary
• hibernation hibernation
• solitary solitary

Communication and Perception

Not much is known about the communication and perception of pure green sweat bees. They may use visual, chemical, and tactical perception. Chemical and tactical communication is likely.

• Communication Channels
• chemical chemical

• Perception Channels
• visual visual
• tactile tactile
• chemical chemical

Food Habits

Adults feed primarily on nectar. They feed off many types of flowers and show little preference.

• Primary Diet
• herbivore herbivore
  • nectarivore nectarivore

• Plant Foods
• nectar

Predation

Female bees can sting to defend themselves and their nests. Pure green sweat bees are preyed upon by spiders , birds , and other insects . The nests of pure green sweat bees are likely impacted by parasitoid wasps.

Ecosystem Roles

Pure green sweat bees are generalist pollinators. They collect pollen from over 40 different species of plants, including spring beauties , false rue anemones , dimpled trout lilies , slender toothworts , and star chickweeds . It may be one of the few animal pollinators of walnut . Nematodes are parasites of pure green sweat bees. The species is preyed upon by spiders, birds, and other insects.

• Ecosystem Impact
• pollinates

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

Pure green sweat bees are important pollinators. They may contribute to the pollination of fields near their forest habitat.

• Positive Impacts
• pollinates crops

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

As the name suggests, pure green sweat bees are attracted to the sweat of humans. The females will lick the sweat and they may sting if startled.

• Negative Impacts
• injures humans
  • bites or stings

Conservation Status

No special statuses.

Other Comments

Pure green sweat bees may also be referred to as pure gold-green sweat bees.

Additional Links

Encyclopedia of Life

BioKIDS Critter Catalog

Contributors

Deena Hauze (author), Animal Diversity Web Staff.

References

Mitchell, T. 1962. Bees of the eastern United States. Technical bulletin (North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station) , No. 141: 1-538. Accessed May 18, 2020 at https://projects.ncsu.edu/cals/entomology/museum/easternBees.php .

Moisset, B., V. Wojcik. 2020. "The Pure Golden Green Sweat Bee (Augochlora pura)" (On-line). U.S. FOREST SERVICE. Accessed May 17, 2020 at https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/augochlora_pura.shtml .

Motten, A. 1986. Pollination Ecology of the Spring Wildflower Community of a Temperate Deciduous Forest. Ecological Monographs , 56(1): 21-42.

Schemske, D., M. Willson, M. Melampy, L. Miller, L. Verner, K. Schemske, L. Best. 1978. Flowering Ecology of Some Spring Woodland Herbs.

Ecology

Short, C., A. Lucky. 2018. "common name: pure gold-green sweat bee (suggested common name) scientific name: Augochlora pura (Say 1837) (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Halictinae)" (On-line). Featured Creatures. Accessed May 17, 2020 at http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/MISC/BEES/Augochlora_pura.html .

Stockhammer, K. 1966. Nesting Habits and Life Cycle of a Sweat Bee, Augochlora pura (Hymenoptera: Halictidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society , 39(2): 157-192.

Young, B. 2019. "NatureServe" (On-line). NatureServe Explorer. Accessed May 18, 2020 at https://explorer.natureserve.org/ .