The green orchid bee on the goldenrod plant
Green orchid bees are varying shades of glossy metallic green and can grow to a length of about 1.3 cm (0.5 in). The membranous wings are dark-coloured and translucent and the female has pollen baskets on her hind legs. The male has an enlarged joint on his hind leg where there is a pit for storing substances he gathers from plants. The female but not the male possesses a sting which can be used on more than one occasion but which is not as painful to humans as a honeybee's sting.
The green orchid bee on the goldenrod plant
Green orchid bees are varying shades of glossy metallic green and can grow to a length of about 1.3 cm (0.5 in). The membranous wings are dark-coloured and translucent and the female has pollen baskets on her hind legs. The male has an enlarged joint on his hind leg where there is a pit for storing substances he gathers from plants. The female but not the male possesses a sting which can be used on more than one occasion but which is not as painful to humans as a honeybee's sting.