Species Xylocopa varipuncta - Valley Carpenter Bee

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Valley Carpenter Bee - Xylocopa varipuncta - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)

No Taxon (Aculeata - Bees, Ants, and other Stinging Wasps)

No Taxon (Anthophila (Apoidea) - Bees)

Family Apidae (Cuckoo, Carpenter, Digger, Bumble, and Honey Bees)

Subfamily Xylocopinae (Carpenter Bees)

Genus Xylocopa (Large Carpenter Bees)

Species varipuncta (Valley Carpenter Bee)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Xylocopa brasilianorum varipuncta

Size

18-26 mm

Identification

Female is black with brassy reflections, perhaps. Male is a striking tawny brown. Apparently, no other Xylocopa are so sexually dimorphic.

Range

Western United States: California, Arizona, plus Baja California, Mexico.

Habitat

Valleys and foothills with deciduous trees such as oaks.

Season

Spring? May emerge earlier than X. californica?

Food

Adults presumably take some pollen, like others of the genus.

Life Cycle

See guide page for genus.

Remarks

John S. Ascher pointed out that the species name is varipuncta. This is the spelling on Nearctica, ITIS, as well in Charles Hogue's Insects of the Los Angeles Basin: (1)

Print References

Powell and Hogue, p. 352--describes sexual dimorphism (2)

Internet References

Urban Entomology--Walter Ebeling, Univ. California. Discussion and illustrations showing sexual dimorphism.

Ken Fuller has photos of male and female from Southern California

Discover Life

Works Cited

1.	Insects of the Los Angeles Basin, 2nd edition By Charles L. Hogue

2.	California Insects By Jerry A. Powell, Charles L. Hogue

Contributed by Cotinis on 19 March, 2005 - 9:44pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Hartmut Wisch
Last updated 2 January, 2008 - 7:37pm

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