Odditities and Insight
My name is Theresa, though I also go by the name Tracey. If you're one of the rare people who actually takes the time to read this and wants to know more about me, please read the allotted section.
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Carpenter Bee Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Hymenoptera Family: Apidae Subfamily: Xylocopinae The genus Xylocopa includes over 500 classified species spread worldwide. The general organisms are, unlike the bumblebees they are often mistaken for, not social creatures. Their common name is based upon their habit of forming their hives in trees and the wood of houses. Their behaviour is seen as bothersome by humans, as they will often “dig” into the wood of homes and form their hives in the corners and under the eaves of human living spaces. All male carpenter bees are drones and lack a stinger. The male bee is the most commonly encountered and will curiously hover near humans, even if swatted at. This curiosity is often mistaken for aggression, and may cause much unneeded panic amoung humans. The female carpenter bee is also a tranquil organism, though she holds a modified ovipositor which she can use to sting. The female carpenter bee will rarely sting, unless provoked. The female has little use for aggression as the only substantial time she spends outside of the nest is when she is creating the nest. The rest of her life will be spent inside the nest, where she will prepare for breeding and birth. Though they resemble bumblebees superficially, they differ in the lack of hairs on their shiny, black abdomen. The sex of the organism is easily discernible; the male carpenter bee has a white or cream coloured spot located between the mandibles. The female lacks this spot.
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