Well, spring must officially be here.

I got stung by a "sweat bee" today (not sure what the real name is but that's what we always called them - they are very small bees, they look like miniature honeybees).

I was getting in my car to drive myself and my TAs over to pick up the vans for the afternoon lab, and I felt something on my back that was like a little electric shock. My first thought was that something was poking through the upholstery on my car seat. Then I thought "must be a spider biting me." But since I was driving students, I couldn't exactly flail around and squeal and try to get it off me. So I leaned forward slightly. A few moments later I saw the bee buzzing against my window - I rolled it down and it flew out but I don't know if sweat bees are like honeybees in that they are doomed once they sting because the stinger pulls out. (I checked my back when I got home - it's not exactly in a place that's modest to lift up my shirt and check in public - and there was a tiny welt but nothing serious.)

(Added: Yup, here they are. For those of a more entomological persuasion, they're better known as Halictid bees. The one that stung me looked most like the far left-hand picture in the third row, but I've also seen the shiny green ones around.)