Yesterday morning I “met” a new bee species: The Bicolored Striped Sweat Bee. She is spectacularly beautiful, she is native, and I shot 300+ images of her.
“Bicolored” because her head and thorax are a brilliant shade of emerald green, whilst her abdomen is stark black and white stripes. Female because males have bright yellow and black stripes.
Fun Fact(s): The underground nesting habits of Bicolored Striped Sweat Bees are incredibly fascinating, at least to me. Their nests are akin to apartment buildings. As many as 30 female bees will use and share a single main entrance (hole in the ground). Once inside the tunnel branches out. Each female excavates her own private branch from the main tunnel and creates individual nursery chambers (brood cells). She acts independently, gathering pollen and laying eggs — only for her own young, without helping her neighbours. The biggest benefit of sharing a “front door” is security. Ground-nesting bees are constantly targeted by other species. To prevent this, these sweat bees take turns serving as sentries, blocking the hole with their abdomens, and only admitting “roommates”.
The Emerald Sentinel
A jewel of emerald, bright and bold,
Upon a zinnia’s crown of gold.
She wears the field-born gown of spring,
On silent, swift, and tireless wing.
With coat of green and striped attire,
She drinks the flower’s nectar-fire,
Then flies to join the quiet ground,
Where hidden, shared-door homes are found.
Three hundred moments caught in time,
To frame her simple, wild design—
A native queen of summer’s grace,
Who blessed my garden’s quiet space.
’Til next time, y’all…
The Flight:
The Take-Off
The Flight
The Descent
The Landing
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