Sweat Bee

G. sp.

bee, possibly Halictidae, Kitale, Kenya, April 2013. Photo © by Michael Plagens

Observed at Kitale, Kenya, April 2013. The bee is about 7 mm long.

From Wikipedia: The Halictidae are a very large and nearly cosmopolitan family of bees consisting of small (> 4 mm) to midsize (> 8 mm) bees which are usually dark-colored and often metallic in appearance. Several species are all or partly green and a few are red; a number of them have yellow markings, especially the males, which commonly possess yellow faces, a pattern widespread among the various families of bees. They are commonly referred to as sweat bees (especially the smaller species), as they are often attracted to perspiration; when pinched, females can give a minor sting.

Halictidae -- Sweat Bee Family

More Information:


Kenya Natural History

Copyright Michael J. Plagens. Page created 6 Sept. 2013