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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 Xylocopoides (Xylocopa Subgenus Xylocopoides) » California Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa californica) » Arizona Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa californica arizonensis)
Photo#901210
Bombus - Xylocopa californica - female
Copyright © 2014 John L. Richards

Bombus - Xylocopa californica - Female
Death Valley, Scotty's Castle, Inyo County, California, USA
April 15, 2013
Size: about 25 mm
Several were nectaring on the flower bushes. I have usually seen these in other desert locations and have always wondered what they are. I assume it is a bumble bee of some sort.
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Contributed by John L. Richards on 16 March, 2014 - 9:58am
Last updated 24 April, 2017 - 6:02pm

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… John S. Ascher, 16 March, 2014 - 7:51pm login or register to post comments

 
Thank you
I learned something. Much appreciated.
… John L. Richards, 16 March, 2014 - 10:37pm login or register to post comments

Xylocopa, methinks
… metrioptera, 16 March, 2014 - 10:08am login or register to post comments

 
Looks Xylocopa-ish to me as w
Looks Xylocopa-ish to me as well. Good ways to tell these guys apart from Bombus include looking at eye size (larger in Xylocopa) and how hairy the abdomen is (mostly bare and shiny in Xylocopa, furry in Bombus), though those are only general rules of thumb.
… Kelsey J.R.P. Byers, 16 March, 2014 - 6:16pm login or register to post comments

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