Sweat Bee Fact & Information

What Orkin Does

Your local Orkin Pro is trained to help manage sweat bees and similar pests. Since every building or home is different, your Orkin Pro will design a unique treatment program for your situation.

Orkin can provide the right solution to keep sweat bees in their place...out of your home, or business.

Underground Nesters

Sweat bees, also known as halictids, are second only to honey bees in terms of population. Many of them have metallic-colored green bodies, often with red or yellow stripes. They build nests underground or in rotting wood and rarely grow over three-quarters of an inch in length.

How Did Sweat Bees Get Their Name?

While foraging, these insects obtain pollen and nectar from a variety of common flowers. However, sweat bees must supplement their diets with salt and moisture. This is often accomplished through feeding on human sweat, so the pests can become nuisances during hot days.

Behavior

Unlike honey bees, sweat bees don't produce honey and avoid making nests in attics or wall voids. Still, they sometimes live among buildings, sheds, and patios that contain exposed or damaged wood.

Sweat bees are generally docile, but females can deliver a mild sting if swatted or aggravated. At times, they are known to swarm in the hundreds.

Exclusion

The pests love burrowing through bare soil in sunny locations. Property owners with treeless, well-lit yards often experience infestations.

In cases of large numbers of sweat bees, homeowners should contact Orkin for assistance. Our experienced Pros are trained in the safe removal of the pests from around the home.