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Carpenter or Bumble Bee?

Hi Everyone :)

I was wondering if anyone might have an idea if my new fuzzy resident in the yard is a bumble or carpenter bee....or perhaps something else.

APPEARANCE: Very large bee like insect, fuzzy (with my vision I can't tell if the abdomen is fuzzy but I think so, at the very least I know MOST of the insect is fuzzy). It is blackish brown, I don't notice any yellow or other marks on it. It is very fat & round.....kinda looks like a giant fuzzy horse fly.

LOCATION: I live in central Missouri just south of I-70. I generally find this bee either near the house, by a wood lattice fence or by a trash pile my junkyard neighbors left.

HABITS: Initially I ran into this insect when trying to get into my front door, it would guard the area and not let me in, if I tried to approach the door or front porch it would dart at my face and hover. After 2 days of this I didn't see it there anymore, but a day later I saw it (or its twin brother) by the back gate & alley. It seems to have taken up residence in that general area now for about 2 wks. Whenever I go out there towards a specific area of the yard it appears out of nowhere and once again hovers by my face or my dogs face....almost landing on us. If I move away (which I always do as I'm scared to death of bees and wasps lol) it will follow for about 20 ft. It appears to be a solitary insect since I never notice any of its "friends" nearby, I always see it alone.

Any ideas? :)
Thanks!

url to image
this is a pic of a bee fly and it looks just like the bee I see. But I've seen different types of bee flies on google, some of which don't look anything like the bee in my yard. Is there a way to find out what types of bee flies inhabit central Missouri? Thanks!

http://pbc.codehog.co.uk/bhs/pics/200504/bee-fly_3apr05_420.jpg

pretty sure
its a carpenter bee. they always guard places like that. they dont bother you and you
can just walk right past them. they are only guarding frm other bees.

 
Does more then chase bees ;)
Hi V.V :) This "bee" appears to enjoy chasing humans. I never ever see it coming...I just suddenly find it in my face or my dogs face, and it will move with you keeping about 1-2" from your skin. Hence I've always walked by it without even noticing. If I continue to walk it will stay right with me an inch from my skin.....by then being the big coward I am LOL I sprint away from it, it will give chase for about 20 ft then give up but if I return to the area even hours later it again comes out of nowhere and does the exact same thing :(

Photo ?
Do you have a photo to upload? If so, I highly recommend uploading it.

Carpenter bees nest in wood, hence their name. Bumble bees don't dig out wood like carpenters, but they can nest in dryer vents, mouse holes, wood piles..

Bumble Bees and Carpenter Bees can look the same. Not only could it be either one, but there are also robber flies that look like bumble bees and there are bee flies, that although smaller, could also resemble what you saw. Although I'm pretty certain you saw a bumble or carpenter.

Without a photo, I think others might agree it's hard to distinguish between Bumble Bee and Carpenter Bee without a better description of certain attributes.

Try looking for holes in wood, that will help determine if it is a carpenter bee.

 
carpenter bee question
My 9 year old son wants to ask: Why are carpenter bees so big?
Thanks for a reply.

 
No photo...but looks like bee fly!
Hi Paul thanks for the reply! I'm afraid I don't have an image of the bee. For one thing my vision is limited and I would never be able to get one, and also I'm SUCH a chicken around bees and wasps that I generally run the other direction LOL (I know..thats a BAD thing to do lol)

I did google the other two bees you mentioned. It doesn't look like a Robber fly but it DOES look VERY much like a Bee fly. Much closer then pictures I've seen of either the bumble or carpenter bee. Do you know if bee flies are aggressive and can they sting? I'll try to google some info on them in the meantime. Thanks!

 
Bee flies are not aggressive.
Bee flies are not aggressive. They are flies that often look like bees, that is all. From what I know most feed on the nectar of flowers.

 
ah....not a bee fly then lol
That pretty much rules them out then. HOWEVER...I just got to thinking that perhaps what I am mistaking for "aggression" is more like "sweat bee" behavior? I've read that sweat bees can be a term applied to many different be species. And that is exactly how this bee acts.....it hovers about an inch from my skin and moves with me....but does not make any attempt to come at me (tho it will follow or chase me if I leave).

So far appearance wise it looks just like the bee in the link I posted above, but it has the temperament of a carpenter bee. Carpenter bees I've heard are fairly common around here. I'm guessing it can't be a bumble bee since they are not aggressive and I only see one bee.

 
Male Xylocopa.
You are describing typical male behavior for carpenter bees. I bet he has a yellow face when he is hovering in front of you. They are indeed intimidating, but they can't sting, and don't literally "attack" in my experience. Females must be nesting above your doorway, as he would be protecting his access to the ladies, if you get my drift:-)

 
think your right :)
LOL Eric....yeah I think everyone is right here that its probably a carpenter bee, even if I'm not describing it right appearance wise...temperament wise it does sound like the carpenter, which isn't a problem.....I don't care if they burrow into the fence lol as long as they don't sting....thats all that counts! ;)

I got stung once by a yellow jacket while wearing open toed sandals, I must've accidentally kicked it. Anyway it stung right up into the quick of the big toe and I'm tell'n ya.....WORST pain I've felt for a long time, felt like someone stuck a red hot poker under my nail lol....I was pretty much cured about getting stung after that! lol :)


Thanks everyone!

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