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Photo#1467720
Xylocopa varipuncta in Florida - Xylocopa - male

Xylocopa varipuncta in Florida - Xylocopa - Male
Fred and Idah Schultz Preserve, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA
November 14, 2017
Apparently, this is the first report to BugGuide of an individual east of Texas.

Images of this individual: tag all
Xylocopa varipuncta in Florida - Xylocopa - male Xylocopa varipuncta in Florida - Xylocopa - male Xylocopa varipuncta in Florida - Xylocopa - male Xylocopa varipuncta in Florida - Xylocopa - male Xylocopa varipuncta in Florida - Xylocopa - male

Tampa records.
Here is a record from Tampa, 2/21/2013:

https://www.whatsthatbug.com/2013/02/23/male-carpenter-bee-from-florida/?fbclid=IwAR2XktdeqsW81foJ0sQA9NQ5kEVJsZ7hQ9Iv3Nf4-B208qKdgjuedFFMYJc

And there are two records in a Facebook group called Florida Entomology from 6/25/2018 and 3/14/2019.

Looks like it may be established in Hillsborough County.

 
Thanks Jeff, and here...
...is another one from 2016 that I just posted on behalf of JoAnn Hoffman:

Moved

Moved

Should not be there
How was ID and locality confirmed?

 
Thank you for the adjustment
The bee was seen by three observers during a survey at the Schulz Preserve where I shot the photos. The preserve is adjacent to a commercial dock where commercial fertilizer industry barges regularly transverse the gulf with shipments of sulphur from Texas. Possibly this was a hitchhiker. I sent these images to three other knowledgeable folks who thought I was placing it properly, and I reviewed images on BG and elsewhere before posting. Overlooked was the possibility of Xylocopa mexicanorum.

 
We cannot assume it is X. varipuncta
Species ID must be made with care!

In any event it is a significant new record for Florida.

Would be good to collect multiple specimens of both sexes for critical study.

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