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Western Carpenter Bee

Xylocopa californica

The Western Carpenter Bee is a big, fuzzy bee that loves to buzz around flowers. They are great at pollinating plants and making gardens beautiful!

Habitat: Urban areas

Appearance

The Western Carpenter Bee is a large, robust bee, often black with a shiny, hairless abdomen that distinguishes it from fuzzy bumblebees. Males may have yellow markings on their thorax and face. Its wings often have a beautiful iridescent sheen.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderHymenopteraFamilyApidaeGenusXylocopa
Western Carpenter Bee
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Western Carpenter Bee

Category

Insects

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

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Interesting facts

Females create tiny rooms in wood tunnels, each for one developing bee!

Male carpenter bees can't sting; they just buzz loudly to seem scary!

Sometimes they chew holes in flowers to steal nectar without pollinating them!

They love sipping nectar from big, colorful flowers like sunflowers and passionflowers.

Special abilities

Ability

Buzz Pollinator

Western Carpenter Bee can vibrate flowers rapidly to release pollen, a 'buzz pollination' trick for collecting more food.

Ability

Swift Flyer

Western Carpenter Bee has powerful wing muscles, enabling swift, efficient flight between blossoms and nesting spots.

Measurements & details

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

Diet & Feeding

These fuzzy flyers drink nectar for energy and collect pollen to feed their babies.

Age differences: Larvae feed on pollen and nectar provisions left by the mother.

Primary Foods

  • Nectar
  • Pollen
  • Sunflower nectar
  • Passionflower nectar
  • Lupine pollen

Foraging Method

  • Foraging

Ecological connections

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Don't disturb bees; they are usually busy and just want to collect pollen.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Western Carpenter Bee's wingspan?

30-50 mm

How big is Western Carpenter Bee?

15-25 mm

How long does Western Carpenter Bee live?

300-365 days

How fast can Western Carpenter Bee fly?

20 km/h

What does Western Carpenter Bee eat?

These fuzzy flyers drink nectar for energy and collect pollen to feed their babies.

Where is Western Carpenter Bee usually found?

Urban areas

How does Western Carpenter Bee hunt?

Foraging

How many legs does Western Carpenter Bee have?

6

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