Carpenter Bee

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 6:18 pm

I have probably seen these before but never had given them much thought but I was out at Linville Falls last weekend photographing, well just about anything but mainly some Bumble Bees when this thing came along.

Gordon C. Snelling · Post by **Gordon C. Snelling** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 5:09 am

This is actually a Megachilid, leaf cutter bee. Cant remember the species though. Neat bee.

P_T · Post by **P_T** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 6:48 am

That's gotta be hard to take photo of, Ken... black against bright yellow like that. Looks like a badass bee too!!

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 2:34 pm

That was a hard photo(s) to take. I tried several times while the bee hung out on the flower and then picked the best couple out of the bunch and still had to fool around in the software to get some details.

I got my ID from BugGuide. Seems that searching was in vain if this is not a Carpenter Bee as was referenced by the site

Most everyone knows how long it takes to ID something there if you begin without a clue looking for something. Luckly for me I just searched for "Bumble Bee" and up it came.

Thanks guys

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:50 pm

ID'ing stuff from photos can be really hard in any case. To my eye, the critter shown in Ken's post looks just like the "Southern Carpenter Bee" shown on this page in BugGuide. I don't have any references with me that would say how to tell these guys apart, so about all I can offer is sympathy. Ya' got my sympathy, Ken!

--Rik

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 4:15 pm

Thanks Rik

Gordon C. Snelling · Post by **Gordon C. Snelling** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:09 pm

It can be dreadfully difficult, however for me the shape of the abdomen and head and the presence of the abdominal hairs use by megachilids to collect pollen give it away. The hairs in question are visible as the the grayish hairs visible along the edge of the abdomen.

Mike B in OKlahoma · Post by **Mike B in OKlahoma** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 9:21 pm

Very cool combination of colors, well-done Ken!

Planapo · Post by **Planapo** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 1:11 am

That is a tough one, well spotted from Gordon! You got my sympathy too, Ken.

I am not familiar with the North American apifauna but you have possibly photographed Megachile xylocopoides here. The species' name indicates its close resemblance to Xylocopa and it is said to occur in NC.

--Betty

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 2:55 am

All this sympathy is quite touching, thanks!

Usually when I am all wet, I am made to sleep on the porch.

However the info I am gleening from all this is really cool.

Thanks guys

Gordon C. Snelling · Post by **Gordon C. Snelling** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 3:44 am

I think Betty got it. Good Job.