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Species Xylocopa virginica - Eastern Carpenter Bee
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 virginica (Eastern Carpenter Bee)
Other Common Names Common Carpenter Bee, "Carpenter Bee" Identification Large, black hairless abdomen, yellow pile on thorax. Males have yellow/white face. Common in eastern North America, and the only member of its genus in much of range.
See Univ. of Florida for a key separating this from Xylocopa micans, which occurs only in the southeastern US. Also compare the introduced Giant Resin Bee, which is found in southeastern United States. Range Eastern and east-central United States and southern Ontario, Canada
Habitat Forests and adjacent areas with flowers. Food Adults take nectar from many flowers, often biting into base of flower to "rob" it without pollinating. Seen, however, to pollinate Passiflora incarnata quite effectively--pollen is deposited on thorax. Life Cycle Nests (galleries) are built in dry, standing wood. Conifers are preferred. Eggs are laid on masses of pollen and nectar, several (6-8) to a gallery. One generation per year in most of range. Adults emerge in late summer, overwinter, mate and nest in spring. Perhaps two generations per year in Florida. See excellent account at Univ. of Florida. See Also
Giant Resin Bee  , (links under identification above).
Bumblebees, Bombus species , are somewhat smaller and typically have hairy abdomen.
Print References Swan and Papp, p. 579, fig. 1246 (2)
Lutz, 3rd ed., plate 100 (3)
Borror and White, plate 16, pp. 360-361 (4)
Salsbury, p. 290--photo (5)
Brimley, p. 461--lists flight as "whole season" in North Carolina (6)Internet References Univ. of Florida describes life history, range and identification of the two eastern species.
Univ. Florida--PDF fact sheet, like above.
Works Cited | 2. | The Common Insects of North America
By Lester A. Swan, Charles S. Papp | |
| 4. | A Field Guide to Insects
By Richard E. White, Donald J. Borror, Roger Tory Peterson |  |
| 5. | Insects in Kansas
By Glenn A. Salsbury and Stephan C. White | |
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