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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Apoidea (clade Anthophila) - Bees » Cuckoo, Carpenter, Digger, Bumble, and Honey Bees (Apidae) » Carpenter and Small carpenter Bees (Xylocopinae) » Large Carpenter Bees (Xylocopa) » Subgenus Neoxylocopa (Xylocopa Subgenus Neoxylocopa) » Valley Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa sonorina)
Photo#379425
Can you confirm Valley Carpenter Bee, male? - Xylocopa sonorina - male
Copyright © 2010 Arthur Scott Macmillan

Can you confirm Valley Carpenter Bee, male? - Xylocopa sonorina - Male
Santa Clara, Santa Clara County, California, USA
March 19, 2010
Size: around 25mm
There were about a dozen or so males and no females nearby that I could see. The big attraction seemed to be many large thistle weeds - very spiky!

Images of this individual: tag all
Can you confirm Valley Carpenter Bee, male? - Xylocopa sonorina - male Can you confirm Valley Carpenter Bee, male? - Xylocopa sonorina - male Can you confirm Valley Carpenter Bee, male? - Xylocopa sonorina - male
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Contributed by Arthur Scott Macmillan on 24 March, 2010 - 4:11pm
Last updated 25 March, 2010 - 11:49am

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Ken Wolgemuth, 25 March, 2010 - 11:49am login or register to post comments

 
Thanks for the help!
Does this mean they may be establishing a nest nearby?
… Arthur Scott Macmillan, 25 March, 2010 - 4:15pm login or register to post comments

 
I would assume
that these guys are cruising for females, and that nests will eventually be established.
… Ken Wolgemuth, 25 March, 2010 - 4:24pm login or register to post comments

Not an expert, but
given the size, general appearance and range, I don't know what else it could be. Male Xylocopa varipuncta looks good to me.
… Ken Wolgemuth, 24 March, 2010 - 10:01pm login or register to post comments

 
ID
I agree. I don't think there is anything locally it can be mistaken for.
… Andy Calderwood, 25 March, 2010 - 10:17am login or register to post comments

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