# Carpenter Bee (*Xylocopa virginica*) Carpenter Bees are large, shiny bees that drill holes in wood. They are excellent pollinators and love to visit flowers. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Wooded areas and gardens - **Also known as:** Wood Bee ![Carpenter Bee](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424481/objects/5462.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Apidae - **Genus:** Xylocopa ## 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 - **Wood Carver:** Carpenter Bee can bore perfect tunnels into wood because of powerful mandibles that help them create nests for their young. - **Flower Friend:** Carpenter Bee has a fuzzy body that helps them carry pollen, fertilizing many different plants as they feed. - **Pollination Power:** 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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peach-tree) (*Prunus persica*) — Helps fertilize flowers for delicious fruit. - **Eaten by:** [Downy Woodpecker](https://www.snappit.app/explore/downy-woodpecker) (*Picoides pubescens*) — Woodpeckers drill into tunnels to find larvae. - **Shelter:** 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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects-and-bugs) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Do not touch or pick up. Some insects sting or bite. Ask an adult for help. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Carpenter Bee? Compare the antennae, wings, waist, body hair and legs. Yellow and black stripes show up on bees, wasps and harmless mimics alike. Bee & Wasp Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Carpenter Bee's wingspan? 30-50 mm ### How big is Carpenter Bee? 15-25 mm ### How long does Carpenter Bee live? 300-365 days ### How fast can Carpenter Bee fly? 20 km/h ### What does Carpenter Bee eat? Carpenter bees are busy vegetarians, sipping nectar for energy and collecting pollen for their growing babies. ### Where is Carpenter Bee usually found? Wooded areas and gardens ### How does Carpenter Bee hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Center Square/Hudson–Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/center-square-hudson-park-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Carpenter Bee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/carpenter-bee)