Valley Carpenter Bee
Xylocopa sonorina
Insecta
UNCOMMON
Stats
- Lifespan
- 1-3 yrs
- Size
- Large
- Diet
- Herbivore
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Social
- Solitary
- Biome
- Temperate woodland
- Range
- North America
- Movement
- Flight
- Breeding
- Egg-laying
- Defense
- Venom
- Status
- Uncommon
About
The Valley Carpenter Bee is one of the largest bees in North America, with jet-black females and striking golden-tan males so different in colour that the sexes are often mistaken for entirely separate species. Despite their imposing size, they are gentle and important native pollinators, known for boring perfectly round nest tunnels into soft wood.
Life cycle
- 1.eggA small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
- 2.juvenileAn immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
- 3.subadultA near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
- 4.adultFully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.
Learn more
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera
- Family
- Apidae
- Genus
- Xylocopa
- Species
- Xylocopa sonorina