Some species of sweat bees are attracted to our sweat, alighting on our skin and lapping it up for moisture and salt. They sometimes sting if disturbed, though the sting is not very painful. There are over 500 species of sweat bees north of Mexico. They are difficult to identify and are a very diverse group. Generally, sweat bees are small to medium-sized, usually black or brownish, and a few have metallic greenish or bluish highlights. Species can be solitary, communal, semi-social, or eusocial. Interestingly, some species exhibit solitary or eusocial behavior depending on time of year, geographic location, altitude, and often unknown factors. They nest in burrows in the soil or sometimes rotting wood.
Size: 4-11 mm
Photo by: Glenn Marangelo on 4/24/22 in Missoula, MT