# Violet Carpenter Bee (*Xylocopa violacea*) The Violet Carpenter Bee is a big, fuzzy bee that loves to buzz around flowers. They are great at helping plants grow by spreading pollen while they collect nectar. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Violet Carpenter Bee](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Abeille_charpentiere_1024.jpg&width=800) Photo: SeeSchloss, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abeille_charpentiere_1024.jpg) ## Appearance The Violet Carpenter Bee is a large, robust bee with a shiny, metallic, dark blue-violet body and dark, iridescent wings that can appear purplish in sunlight. Unlike fuzzy bumblebees, its abdomen is smooth and hairless. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Apidae - **Genus:** Xylocopa ## Interesting facts - Adults can live for an entire year, much longer than many other types of bees! - Male Violet Carpenter Bees cannot sting at all, only the females can if threatened! - These big bees can make a home by drilling perfect round tunnels in dead wood! - Violet Carpenter Bees are some of the biggest bees in Europe, making them easy to spot! ## Special abilities - **Wood Architect:** Violet Carpenter Bee can bore smooth, cylindrical tunnels in dead wood using its strong mandibles because this creates a safe nest for its offspring. - **Vibration Pollinator:** Violet Carpenter Bee can buzz pollinate flowers by vibrating its body that helps release hidden pollen from tricky blossoms. - **Agile Aviator:** Violet Carpenter Bee has powerful wings that help it fly quickly and navigate intricate flower patterns with precision. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 40-55 mm - **Size:** 25-30 mm - **Lifespan:** 300-365 days - **Flight Speed:** 12 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 - **Colony Size:** 1 ## Diet & Feeding This bee sips sweet nectar for energy and collects pollen for strength, like a tiny flying vegetarian! - **Primary Foods:** Nectar, Pollen, Lavender, Wisteria, Borage - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Lavender (*Lavandula angustifolia*) — Provides essential nectar and pollen for the bee. - **Pollinates:** Chinese Wisteria (*Wisteria sinensis*) — A key food source, often 'nectar robbed' from the side. - **Eaten by:** [European Bee-eater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-bee-eater) (*Merops apiaster*) — A bird known for preying on various large insects, including bees. - **Eaten by:** Woodchat Shrike (*Lanius senator*) — A predatory bird that hunts large insects and impales them. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [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. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [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. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [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) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a bee, watch it from a distance and don't try to touch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Violet 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 Violet Carpenter Bee's wingspan? 40-55 mm ### How big is Violet Carpenter Bee? 25-30 mm ### How long does Violet Carpenter Bee live? 300-365 days ### How fast can Violet Carpenter Bee fly? 12 km/h ### What does Violet Carpenter Bee eat? This bee sips sweet nectar for energy and collects pollen for strength, like a tiny flying vegetarian! ### Where is Violet Carpenter Bee usually found? Forests ### How does Violet Carpenter Bee hunt? Foraging ## 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: [Violet Carpenter Bee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/violet-carpenter-bee)