Tripartite Sweat Bee

Description

Halictus tripartitus has a dull green, metallic thorax, an abdomen with apical hair bands on top, and an arched basal vein in the forewing. For H. tripartitus, note head shape larger/broader than in most Dialictus, but lacking large genal projection (on the cheek) or tooth seen in large-headed Halictus ligatus. These are small bees (~5-6 mm in length). As with many female bees in Halictidae, there is a pseudopygidial groove at the abdomen tip (see red arrow above) - a good feature to narrow to family.