Valley Carpenter Bee, Xylocopa varipuncta

Male. © Peter J. Bryant	Valley Carpenter Bee Xylocopa varipuncta Hymenoptera: Apidae Back to Hymenoptera index page Back to Arthropods of Orange County, California Back to Natural History of Orange County, California These carpenter bees are the largest bees found in California, measuring up to an inch in length. The females are metallic black, while the males are yellow. They are named after their ability to burrow through wood to make their nests.
Males
© Peter J. Bryant	© Peter J. Bryant
Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 11-12-06. © Ron Hemberger	Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 11-12-06. © Ron Hemberger
Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 11-12-06. © Ron Hemberger	Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 11-12-06. © Ron Hemberger
Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 11-12-06. © Ron Hemberger	Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 11-12-06. © Ron Hemberger
Females
Female. Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 8-21-06. © Ron Hemberger	Female. Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 8-21-06. © Ron Hemberger
Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 5-2-07. © Ron Hemberger	Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 5-2-07. © Ron Hemberger
Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 5-2-07. © Ron Hemberger	Instead of reaching deep inside the sage blossom to feed, This female carpenter bee practices what is called 'stealing nectar' by piercing the flower's calyx. Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 5-5-07. © Ron Hemberger
"Stealing" nectar. Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 5-5-07. © Ron Hemberger	"Stealing" nectar. Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 5-5-07. © Ron Hemberger
"Stealing" nectar. Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Claremont, Los Angeles County, CA. 9-8-07. © Ron Hemberger	"Stealing" nectar. Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Claremont, Los Angeles County, CA. 9-8-07. © Ron Hemberger
"Stealing" nectar. Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Claremont, Los Angeles County, CA. 9-8-07. © Ron Hemberger	"Stealing" nectar. Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Claremont, Los Angeles County, CA. 9-8-07. © Ron Hemberger
Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 8-21-06. © Ron Hemberger	Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 5-2-07. © Ron Hemberger
Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 5-2-07. © Ron Hemberger	Modesto, Stanislaus County, CA. 9/11/07. © Linda Raymer, Raymer's Digital Images.
Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 4-11-08. © Ron Hemberger	Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 4-11-08. © Ron Hemberger
"Stealing" nectar. Upper Newport Bay, Newport Beach, Orange County, CA. 7-5-08. © Peter J. Bryant.	Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 3-31-09. © Ron Hemberger
Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 3-31-09. © Ron Hemberger	Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 3-31-09. © Ron Hemberger
Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 4-12-09. © Ron Hemberger	Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 4-21-09. © Ron Hemberger
Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 4-21-09. © Ron Hemberger	Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 4-21-09. © Ron Hemberger
Sherman Gardens, Newport Beach, Orange County, CA. 05-07-09. © Ron Hemberger	Sherman Gardens, Newport Beach, Orange County, CA. 05-07-09. © Ron Hemberger
In a Stinky Gourd FLower. Peters Canyon, Orange, Orange County, CA. 6-17-09. © Ron Hemberger	In a Stinky Gourd FLower. Peters Canyon, Orange, Orange County, CA. 6-17-09. © Ron Hemberger
Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 3-5-10. © Ron Hemberger	Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 3-5-10. © Ron Hemberger
Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 3-5-10. © Ron Hemberger	Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 3-5-10. © Ron Hemberger
Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 3-5-10. © Ron Hemberger