Being an influential pollinator is no sweat for these bees

While there are many thousands of subspecies of sweat bees (Halictidae), they all share a common purpose in that they are important pollinators for a variety of native plants.

Sweat bees soak up human perspiration for their nutritional needs (which is where they get their name), but besides their liking for salts, they also feed on nectar and pollen, pollinating flowers in the process.

Many native flowers, and about 30% of U.S. crops, rely on native bees like the sweat bee for pollination. These insects evolved alongside specific types of plants and are sometimes the only ones capable of pollinating them. Sweat bees, for example, are some of the only bees that can buzz-pollinate. In this process, the bee grabs the anther of the flower in its mouthparts, curls its abdomen around the anther, and vibrates its wing muscles, causing the anther to release its pollen.

Many flowering plants require buzz pollination to release pollen for reproduction, which means that insects like the sweat bee are critical for their survival.

Despite these specific skills, sweat bees are often generalists, meaning they don’t limit themselves to the plants they choose to pollinate. While this makes them a productive pollinator, it is certainly no easy task, as they have to navigate different flowers to extract pollen and nectar, while also possessing the ability to metabolize pollen from multiple plant species.

Nearly all sweat bees nest underground or in rotting wood, and emerge as they forage for pollen and nectar among flowers in fields, gardens, grasslands, roadsides and other open places where flowers are abundant.

The majority of sweat bees are solitary, but a handful of species live in social colonies. Social bees live in colonies typically consisting of worker bees, drones and a queen, while solitary bees forage and build nests alone, without serving a queen. Some species can even switch between solitary and social behaviors depending on different climate conditions.

While many species of bees are currently listed as endangered, the sweat bee’s ability to adapt to climate changes along with their generalist feeding strategies may prove extremely advantageous for their survival.

With all of their unique traits and behaviors, sweat bees play a critical role in the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The plants that they pollinate create biodiversity, support the region’s agriculture and provide food for an array of wildlife. To help protect sweat bees—and other native insects—consider planting native plants that these insects use for habitat. In turn, your native insects will help keep these plants going.