Robbie saw an unusual sight and sent this email, “I saw something odd at my crape myrtle yesterday. My Natchez white [crape myrtle tree] is in full flower and is a hit with a local bee hive.

Yesterday morning I saw a green honey bee. I was talking on the phone with one of our clientele and saw it. I thought to myself why a green bug like a June bug is flying around flowers like a bee. I took a closer look literally a couple feet away and it was a bee. It had black stripes but instead of being yellow it was green. Before I could take a picture, it got full of pollen and took off.

Is that a color phase of a molting process or [what]?? “

Robbie’s questions are intriguing so AHA investigated what kind of bee was on the crape myrtle. First, Robbie is a professional forester and has been outdoors much of his professional like. He has seen numerous animals and insects during his career, so his observations seem very credible.

AHA searched for “green bees in Louisiana” on the internet and had these results. A couple of bees are solid green: the “pure green sweat bee” and the “green metallic sweat bee”.

The thin stripes on these bees are easy to see in this close image. Robbie was able to examine the bees closeup and could see wide stripes. However, there are two other green bees with obvious stripes: “Bicolored striped sweat bee” and “Brown winged sweat bee”.

AHA consulted with Robbie about these various green sweat bees, and he did not think he saw any sweat bee at his crape myrtle. Also, Robbie reported that “It had black stripes but instead of being yellow it was green.” However, the last two bees have yellow stripes so what kind of green bee was on Robbie’s tree? At this point, feel free to contact the “Beehive Buzz” if you have seen any green bees on flowers. Better yet, feel free to send pictures of any green bee, and help with identifying this mystery insect.

If you want to contact “Beehive Buzz”, please send your questions and pictures to Keith Hawkins, Area Horticulture Agent (AHA), 318.264.2448 or khawkins@agcenter.lsu.edu . Also, you can be on the “beemail” email list by emailing your request to the address above.

“This work has been supported, in part, by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Renewable Resources Extension Act Award, Accession Number 1011417.”

“Mention of trade names or commercial products and services in this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute endorsement by Louisiana State University AgCenter.”

Robbie saw an unusual sight and sent this email, “I saw something odd at my crape myrtle yesterday. My Natchez white [crape myrtle tree] is in full flower and is a hit with a local bee hive.

Yesterday morning I saw a green honey bee. I was talking on the phone with one of our clientele and saw it. I thought to myself why a green bug like a June bug is flying around flowers like a bee. I took a closer look literally a couple feet away and it was a bee. It had black stripes but instead of being yellow it was green. Before I could take a picture, it got full of pollen and took off.

Is that a color phase of a molting process or [what]?? “

Robbie’s questions are intriguing so AHA investigated what kind of bee was on the crape myrtle. First, Robbie is a professional forester and has been outdoors much of his professional like. He has seen numerous animals and insects during his career, so his observations seem very credible.

AHA searched for “green bees in Louisiana” on the internet and had these results. A couple of bees are solid green: the “pure green sweat bee” and the “green metallic sweat bee”.

The thin stripes on these bees are easy to see in this close image. Robbie was able to examine the bees closeup and could see wide stripes. However, there are two other green bees with obvious stripes: “Bicolored striped sweat bee” and “Brown winged sweat bee”.

AHA consulted with Robbie about these various green sweat bees, and he did not think he saw any sweat bee at his crape myrtle. Also, Robbie reported that “It had black stripes but instead of being yellow it was green.” However, the last two bees have yellow stripes so what kind of green bee was on Robbie’s tree? At this point, feel free to contact the “Beehive Buzz” if you have seen any green bees on flowers. Better yet, feel free to send pictures of any green bee, and help with identifying this mystery insect.

If you want to contact “Beehive Buzz”, please send your questions and pictures to Keith Hawkins, Area Horticulture Agent (AHA), 318.264.2448 or khawkins@agcenter.lsu.edu . Also, you can be on the “beemail” email list by emailing your request to the address above.

“This work has been supported, in part, by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Renewable Resources Extension Act Award, Accession Number 1011417.”

“Mention of trade names or commercial products and services in this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute endorsement by Louisiana State University AgCenter.”

Pure green sweat bee.
Photo: Ryan Hodnett.

Metallic green sweat bee.
Photo: Jason Michael Crockwell.

Bicolored striped sweat bee.
Photo: Rob Curtis.

Brown winged sweat bee.
Photo: Steve Kerr.