The genus Agapostemon is a common group of Western Hemisphere sweat bees, most of which are known as metallic green sweat bees for their color. They are of generally green or blue appearance (head and thorax almost always, sometimes also the abdomen in females, most males have the abdomen yellow banded on a black or metallic background). Some 42 species are in the genus, which ranges from Canada to Argentina. They superficially resemble various members of another tribe, Augochlorini, which are also typically metallic greenish in appearance.