• Family: Halictidae
• Approximate # species in region: 3
• Common name: metallic sweat bee

Augochlorella is a small, brilliant green genus of bees, and one of three in our area that belong to the tribe Augochlorini. Augochlorella are strongly forest-associated, building nests in rotting wood in the understory of eastern deciduous woodlands. They occur on diverse flowers, including in backyards near forested areas. The three species occur in our area (A. aurata, A. gratiosa, and A. persimilis) are likely not separable from one another in the field, except in northern areas where only A. aurata occurs.

Augochlorella are generally the smallest of the Augochlorini (which also includes Augochlora and Augochloropsis), but size varies within each of these genera and can be difficult to judge in the field. Note that Augochlorella lack the enlarged, metallic tegulae of Augochloropsis. Distinguishing Augochlorella from Augochlora is trickier: Augochlora is larger-headed than Augochlorella, with broader cheeks and a wider vertex, and often appears more solidly dark green (rather than light green and gold-tinted). Male Augochlorella in our region have yellowish tarsi on their hind legs, while the legs of Augochlora males are uniformly dark. Several additional marks (unevenly roughened edges on the thorax, a pointed marginal cell in the wing, and paraocular lobes that don’t project into the clypeus) further distinguish Augochlorella from Augochlora but these features are hard to see in the field without magnification or good-quality photos.

Regional Species List: