Afrotropical Carpenter Bee

Description:

Two male carpenter bees dancing synchronized in the air. Xylocopa bees are a bee species that do not produce honey but are important pollinators of crops and wild plants. Male and female individuals have different coloration (female spotting here http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/353......). The genus Xylocopa is a diverse, widely distributed group of solitary bees. Worldwide, there are about 500 species of carpenter bees representing 31 subgenera.

Habitat:

Forest area, on the road to Python Pool, Mlawula Nature reserve.

Notes:

Xylocopa bees are larger than honey bees, hairy, often colourful and their wings make a loud buzzing sound while flying. Xylocopa bees nest in tree trunks, in dead wood, bamboo, or structural timbers. They construct their nests by boring tunnels in wood materials, which is why they are known as carpenter bees.