Bug FAQAngeles Striped Sweat Bee
Agapostemon angelicus · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Halictidae
Also called: Angelic Sweat Bee
Source: Wikipedia
These bees are small, about 10 to 14 mm long. They live in desert-adjacent areas of the western and central United States and nest in soil tunnels. Both sexes feed on nectar and pollen from many flowers, and females provision their nests with pollen balls for the larvae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults measure roughly 10 to 14 mm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Does it bite or sting?
Females possess a small stinger and can sting if handled.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
They are most often found in desert-border regions of the southwestern United States. Females dig tunnel nests in soil or similar substrates.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
They are polylectic pollinators, visiting any available flowering plants for nectar. Females leave pollen balls in the nest for their larvae to eat.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Females construct underground tunnel nests where they lay eggs on pollen provisions. It is not clear whether multiple females share the same nest.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
They are active during daylight and may rest on larger flowers at night.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is native to North America, ranging from Canada through the United States to Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
They can be easily confused with the similar species Agapostemon texanus.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 22 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Texas, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Washington.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Can Angeles striped sweat bees sting people?
Yes, only the females have a small stinger and can deliver a mild sting.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I tell a female from a male?
Females are uniformly metallic green, while males have a yellow and black banded abdomen.
Source: Wikipedia
Where might I find these bees?
They are common in desert-adjacent areas of the western and central US, nesting in soil tunnels.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Halictidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agapostemon_angelicus
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.