Blue carpenter bee (Xylocopa caerulea)

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Photo by folicallychalled

Published on Project Noah

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Field Notes

Description:

A large bee, close to an inch in length, with a hairy blue thorax and black abdomen. Non-aggressive and long, thin eyes, both characteristics of females.

Habitat:

Adjacent to a small stream. Altitude 1000m.

Notes:

I spotted the elusive creature circling and examining the trunk of a tree. Not sure exactly what was going on, possibly searching for a nest site. Called carpenter bees because they drill holes in wood. Often considered a pest, as they cut holes to wooden frames. I did notice a couple of freshly cut round holes in the trunk, but apart from briefly examining one of these, they were ignored. From web images, these holes were very likely carpenter bee holes, so I will be keeping an eye on this tree from now on.