Beneficial Species Profile

Photo credit: Karan A. Rawlins, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org; Johnny N. Dell, Bugwood.org

Common Name: Carpenter Bee

Synonyms: Eastern Carpenter Bee

Scientific Name: Xylocopa virginica Linnaeus

Order and Family: Hymenoptera: Apidae

Size and Appearance: Length (mm) Appearance Egg Amber – brown in coloration. Eggs are laid in wood tunnels in what are known as brood cells. There is one egg per cell walled - off with chewed wood from the next egg. Food stores are placed in each cell. Larva/Nymph Larvae are creamy – white in color. The C – shaped larvae will stay in the cell and develop and feed off the previously deposited pollen and nectar balls in the cells. Adult 19 - 25 mm Large, robust and resemble bumble bees with yellow hairs and black body. The dorsal surface of abdomen is bare and absent of hair, giving it a glossy or shiny appearance.

Only males have a white spot on the front of the face.

One brood per year.

The male does not have a stinger and is unable to sting; the female is capable of stinging when irritated.

Overwinter as adults. Pupa (if Pupation will occur in the same cell. An unknown mechanism in applicable) the timing of the emergence and exiting of the cells allows the last egg (adult) laid to exit first from the tunnel and the first egg (adult) laid to exit last.

Total development time from larva to adult takes about 5 – 7 weeks.

Type of feeder (Chewing, sucking, etc.): Carpenter bees have strong chewing mouthparts which enables them to drill and tunnel into wood. The large robust size of the Carpenter bee prevents them from entering tubular flowers, so they have evolved to use their mandibles to cut a hole in the base of the flower petals and then lap out the nectar. This can inadvertently make the flower unattractive to other pollinators, essentially robbing the flower of pollen transfer.

Host/s: Carpenter bees are generalists and will collect nectar and pollen from any flower in bloom, often visiting the same type of flower when abundant.

Description of Benefits (pollinator): The Xylocopa are great native pollinators of many different crops and flowers and are able to pollinate flowers in areas where honey bee populations are low or depleted.

Special note: The Eastern Carpenter bee can sometimes be considered a pest because they drill holes into wood and wooden structures to build nests. Adults drill holes about ½ inch in diameter and tunnel into wood that is usually untreated and unpainted to use as shelter and chambers to raise young. The Eastern carpenter bee is a solitary bee and does not colonize.

References: Balduf, W. V. (1962). Life of the carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica (Linn.)(Xylocopidae, Hymenoptera). Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 55(3), 263-271.

Bambara, S.B. & Waldvodel, M., (2009). Carpenter bees. ENT/rsc-4, North Carolina State University Extension, Retrieved from www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Urban/carpenterbees.htm

EENY – 100, University of Florida. Retrieved from http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/bees/xylocopa.htm

Gerling, D., & Hermann, H. R. (1978). Biology and mating behavior of Xylocopa virginica L.(Hymenoptera, Anthophoridae). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 3(2), 99-111.

Grissell, E. E. (2014). Large Carpenter bees, Xylocopa spp.(Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae: Xylocopinae).

Hu, X.P. (2006). Carpenter bees – biology and management. ANR – 1302, Alabama A&M and Auburn University Extension, Retrieved from http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR- 1302/ANR-1302.pdf

Jacobs, S. (2014). Carpenter bees. The Pennsylvania State University Extension. Retrieved from: http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/carpenter-bees

Potter, M.F. (1994). Carpenter bees. ENTFACT – 611, University of Kentucky Extension, Retrieved from: https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef611

Skandalis, D. A., Tattersall, G. J., Prager, S., & Richards, M. H. (2009). Body size and shape of the large carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica (L.)(Hymenoptera: Apidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 82(1), 30-42.

Wilson, J. S. & Carril, O. J. M. (2015). The Bees in Your Backyard: A Guide to North America's Bees. Princeton University Press.