Sweat Bee
Lasioglossum sp.
This bee was busy gathering pollen from blooms of Twinberry (Menodora scabra), however, the flower structure made gathering the nectar situated at the bottom of a narrow chamber a difficult task. Actual size of the bee is about 5 mm. South Mountain Park, Phoenix, Maricopa Co., Arizona, USA. This bee image was identified to genus by Doug Yanega.
Halictidae -- Sweat Bee Family
Most native pollinators are quite small and generally go unnoticed by casual observers. This bee, for example, is less than 6 mm in length. The role that these bees play in the ecology of the Sonoran Desert, an indeed habitats almost everywhere, is vital. Plants that achieve cross pollination by the activities of these bees will produce seeds and offspring with greater genetic diversity and viability.