Photographs

Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa sp.)

Flora & Fauna

Carpenter bees are species in the genus Xylocopa of the subfamily Xylocopinae. The common name "carpenter bee" derives from their nesting behaviour; nearly all species burrow into hard plant material such as dead wood or bamboo. Many species in this enormous genus are difficult to tell apart; most species are all black or primarily black with some yellow or white pubescence. Sometimes their wings display a blue-yellow iridescence as in the image. Males of some species differ confusingly from the females, being covered in greenish-yellow fur. Carpenter bees are traditionally considered solitary bees although in several species, the females live alongside their own daughters or sisters, creating a small social group. They use wood bits to form partitions between the cells in the nest. A few species bore holes in wood dwellings. Since the tunnels are near the surface, structural damage is generally minor or superficial. However, carpenter bee nests are attractive to woodpeckers, which may do further damage by drilling into the wood to feed on the bees or larvae.