Carpenter Bee

Xylocopa virginica

Carpenter Bees are large, shiny bees that drill holes in wood. They are excellent pollinators and love to visit flowers.

Habitat: Wooded areas and gardens

Appearance

The Carpenter Bee is a large, robust bee, often appearing black or metallic blue-black with a shiny, hairless abdomen. This smooth abdomen helps distinguish it from fuzzy bumblebees. Some species might feature yellow hairs on their thorax.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderHymenopteraFamilyApidaeGenusXylocopa

Carpenter Bee

Interesting facts

Did you know male Carpenter Bees don't have a stinger at all? Only females can sting!

Some female Carpenter Bees are 'super moms' that share a nest entrance but have their own separate rooms!

These amazing bees often use the same tunnels year after year, sometimes for generations!

They don't eat wood; they just tunnel through it to make cozy homes for their babies!

Special abilities

Carpenter Bee can bore perfect tunnels into wood because of powerful mandibles that help them create nests for their young.

Carpenter Bee has a fuzzy body that helps them carry pollen, fertilizing many different plants as they feed.

Carpenter Bee can perform buzz pollination to shake pollen free, helping specific flowers release their hidden treasures.

Measurements & details

Wingspan: 30-50 mm
Size: 15-25 mm
Lifespan: 300-365 days
Flight Speed: 20 km/h
Leg Count: 6

Diet & Feeding

Carpenter bees are busy vegetarians, sipping nectar for energy and collecting pollen for their growing babies.

Primary Foods

Nectar
Pollen
Floral oils

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

pollinates

Peach Tree

Prunus persica

Helps fertilize flowers for delicious fruit.

eaten by

Downy Woodpecker

Picoides pubescens

Woodpeckers drill into tunnels to find larvae.

shelters

Red Oak

Quercus rubra

Excavates nests in dead wood of oak trees.

parasitizes

Thick-headed Fly

Physocephala marginata

Larvae consume carpenter bee larvae in nests.

Traits

Wildlife

Step into the incredible world of wild animals and plants living freely in nature. From tiny insects to towering trees, it's all part of the wild wonders around us!

Solitary

Meet animals that enjoy their independence! These creatures prefer to live by themselves, finding food and shelter on their own.

Herbivorous

Meet the peaceful munchers and grazers who find all their nourishment from plants, leaves, and fruits. They transform plant energy into life!

Forest

These lush habitats are filled with countless trees, offering homes to a huge variety of plants and animals! Immerse yourself in the green canopy.

Pollinator

Meet the busy helpers of the plant world! These creatures carry pollen from one flower to another, helping plants make seeds and grow fruits and vegetables.