# Fine striped sweat bee (*Agapostemon subtilior*) The fine striped sweat bee is a small, shiny bee with beautiful stripes. They love to visit flowers and help plants grow by spreading pollen. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![Fine striped sweat bee](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Agapostemon_subtilior%252C_mating_pair.jpg&width=800) Photo: BBTWellParkour, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Agapostemon_subtilior%252C_mating_pair.jpg) ## Appearance The Fine striped sweat bee is a dazzling metallic green on its head and thorax, giving it a jewel-like shine. Its abdomen is distinctly marked with bold black and yellow stripes, making it easily identifiable among other green bees. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Halictidae - **Genus:** Agapostemon ## Interesting facts - Sometimes, many female sweat bees will share a single nest entrance for safety! - Their dazzling metallic green bodies shimmer like tiny jewels when they fly! - These busy bees visit many different types of flowers, making them super important! - They are called 'sweat bees' because they love to sip salty sweat from your skin! ## Special abilities - **Vibrating Pollinator:** Fine striped sweat bee can buzz-pollinate flowers by vibrating its body, which helps release pollen from certain plants. - **Pollen Carrying Hairs:** Fine striped sweat bee has specialized hairs on its legs that help it collect and carry pollen back to its nest for its young. - **Underground Architect:** Fine striped sweat bee can dig intricate underground nests, creating safe chambers to lay eggs and store food. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 10-18 mm - **Size:** 7-9 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-60 days - **Flight Speed:** 12 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding They drink sugary nectar for energy and gather protein-rich pollen for their growing babies. - **Primary Foods:** Nectar, Pollen, Asteraceae flowers, Rosaceae flowers - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Sunflower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sunflower) (*Helianthus annuus*) — Helps transfer pollen between these bright, cheerful flowers. - **Pollinates:** [Red Raspberry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-raspberry) (*Rubus idaeus*) — Essential for the production of tasty raspberries. - **Eaten by:** [Eastern Kingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-kingbird) (*Tyrannus tyrannus*) — A small, but nutritious meal for this aerial insectivore. - **Parasitizes:** Cuckoo Bee (*Nomada articulata*) — Lays its eggs in the sweat bee's nest, stealing food for its young. ## Traits - [Striped](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/striped): Marked with parallel bands or lines of color. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a bee, just watch it from a distance. They are usually busy and won't bother you. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Fine striped sweat bee? Compare the antennae, wings, waist, body hair and legs. Yellow and black stripes show up on bees, wasps and harmless mimics alike. Bee & Wasp Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Fine striped sweat bee's wingspan? 10-18 mm ### How big is Fine striped sweat bee? 7-9 mm ### How long does Fine striped sweat bee live? 30-60 days ### How fast can Fine striped sweat bee fly? 12 km/h ### What does Fine striped sweat bee eat? They drink sugary nectar for energy and gather protein-rich pollen for their growing babies. ### Where is Fine striped sweat bee usually found? Urban areas ### How does Fine striped sweat bee hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Bloedel Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bloedel-reserve) — Washington, US · Botanical Garden - [Six Flags Discovery Kingdom](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/six-flags-discovery-kingdom) — California, US · Zoo - [Cougar Mountain Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cougar-mountain-zoo) — Washington, US · Zoo [View all places to see Fine striped sweat bee](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/fine-striped-sweat-bee) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Fine striped sweat bee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/fine-striped-sweat-bee)