Valley Carpenter Bee -Female

Description:

Females are a metallic black while males are fuzzy and gold with green eyes. They are the largest bees found in California, growing to around 1 in (2.5 cm) in length.The bees tunnel through wood with their mandibles, although they do not ingest the wood in the process. The tunnels average 6 to 10 in (15 to 25 cm) in length and consist of a linear series of partitioned cells. They prefer untreated or unpainted wood. The adult bees spend the winter in the tunnels.