Augochlora pura
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Augochlora pura is a solitary sweat bee found primarily in the Eastern United States. It is known for its bright green color and its tendency to forage on a variety of plants. Inhabiting rotting logs, this bee can produce up to three generations per year. Both males and females have been observed licking sweat from human skin, most likely seeking salt.
Augochlora pura was recently suggested the common name Pure Green Sweat Bee, but about it has been written that "...it does not seem to need one with such a musical scientific designation that means 'pure golden green.'"
Within Halictidae, 4 subfamilies, 81 genera, and over 4,000 species have been defined. About 1,000 of the species in the genera Halictus, Lasioglossum, Augochlora, and Augochlorella, are eusocial. Both males and females are approximately 8 mm long. Over most of the range of the species, their entire bodies are a shiny, bright green, in contrast to many Lasioglossum species such as L. zephyrus, which are a dull metallic green. Male Augochlora pura tend to have darker mandibles and may be slightly more bluish than females, but otherwise, males and females... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 6 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 8 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pure Green Sweat Bee sighting in Chicago on a given day, based on 24 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 390th most-seen of the 978 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Pure Green Sweat Bee in Chicago on a given day, against under 5% in November to September, the lowest months.
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Pure Green Sweat Bee sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
8th of 10
Of the 10 cities where we can rate Pure Green Sweat Bee sightings, Chicago ranks 8th at under 5%. The best odds are in Boston (United States, about 10%), New York City (United States, about 10%) and Washington (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Halictidae
The closest relatives of the Pure Green Sweat Bee that you can see in Chicago (family Halictidae, Sweat Bees) are Bicolored Striped Sweat Bee (about 10%) and Ligated Furrow Bee (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Pure Green Sweat Bee is recorded against all the insects logged in Chicago (24 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
