A large, glossy black bee that gets blamed for damaging house decks and porches — but they're excellent native pollinators of important crops including blueberry, eggplant, and tomatoes that honey bees can't pollinate efficiently.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
Xylocopa virginica, sometimes referred to as the eastern carpenter bee, is a species of bee that extends through the eastern United States and into Canada. It is sympatric with Xylocopa micans in much of southeastern United States. It nests in various types of wood and eats pollen and nectar.
Source: Wikipedia — Eastern carpenter bee Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Large bumblebee-sized with shiny black abdomen.
Similar species. Bumble bees (fuzzy abdomen).
Voice. Loud buzzing flight.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Nectar and pollen for adults; pollen masses for larvae.
Behavior. Drills tunnels in soft wood. Solitary.
§ Range
Eastern US from Maine to Florida
§ Habitat
Forests, suburbs, gardens; nests in wood structures
§ Threats
Treated lumber discouraging nesting, persecution, pesticides on flowers.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the eastern carpenter bee is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Provide untreated softwood lumber for nest sites away from primary structures. Skip pesticides on flowers. Tolerate carpenter bees — males look threatening but can't sting.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Eastern carpenter bee
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Xylocopa virginica
- iNaturalist · taxon 49297
- IUCN Red List — search for Xylocopa virginica
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Xylocopa virginica
§ Sources cited
- Xerces Society
- University of Florida IFAS Extension
- iNaturalist
- BugGuide
