Bee carpenter

Description, appearance and characteristic features

The black carpenter bumblebee is a solitary insect from the genus of carpenter bees. This is a relict insect that existed on Earth in prehistoric times. Its appearance differs from the usual bee appearance. The carpenter bumblebee is a black insect with a blue tint on the abdomen and head and blue-violet wings. Due to the active work of its wings, when a bumblebee flies, it seems that it is purple. The head is massive with a powerful jaw, large eyes, long black antennae with red spots at the ends.

Representatives of this species are among the largest among the entire family. The body size of an adult reaches 3 cm. The insect has heavily pubescent legs, but the hairs on the body are sparse. Due to this, the body looks smooth and glossy.

Appearance

Spreading

The species is found mainly in the southern part of Europe, the Caucasus, Turkey, the Near and Western East.

In Ukraine, it is common in Crimea, but is also found in the southern regions. Listed in the Red Book of Ukraine, it is protected in the Crimean, Yalta mountain-forest, Karadag, Kazantip and Opuk reserves and the Cape Martyan reserve.

Male carpenter bee
Xylocopa violacea
Carpenter bee pollinates a flower

It is found mainly in the southern part of Europe, the Caucasus, Turkey, the Middle and Western East.

Lifestyle and habitat of carpenter bumblebees

The carpenter bumblebee is a heat-loving insect, this explains its habitat, which includes:

Southern Europe;
Near East;
Türkiye;
southern and western regions of Russia;
Ukraine;
Belarus;
Crimea;
Caucasus.

The bumblebee summer begins in mid-spring and lasts until the end of September. Insects make nests in wood. These could be dried tree trunks or branches, poles, or wooden buildings. Insects gnaw passages up to 30 cm long, in which they form a dwelling of 10 - 12 adjacent cells. The partitions between the cells are made of wood chopped by a bumblebee.

Carpenter bumblebees prefer to settle in open spaces, always choosing the sunny side. Insects live either alone or in small colonies consisting of only females, preferring silence and solitude. They settle in the vicinity of people only out of necessity, when there is no other suitable place nearby for housing and building a nest.

Where do albino blue bumblebees live?

Albino bumblebees, due to the peculiarities of wintering pupated larvae inside wood, can only be found in warm regions of Ukraine, Turkey, Asia or Mongolia. In Russia, habitats are found in the Caucasus, Stavropol and Krasnodar Territories, and Crimea.

Additional Information. The single bee has not yet been domesticated.

Purple carpenter bees love the solitude of forests, but suffer from the inability to find old wood to raise their offspring, mainly due to plowing of fields and deforestation. Therefore, the carpenter settles next to the person, making moves in buildings made of wood. Due to its threatening appearance, the danger of biting and damage to wooden buildings, it is an undesirable neighbor that many people want to get rid of. But we should not forget that the insect is a valuable pollinator and an endangered species.

In order not to have to exterminate an insect listed in the Red Book, you need to know that the purple bumblebee will not encroach on painted and treated wood.

The black bumblebee is an insect that residents of Turkey, southern European countries and Ukraine can encounter; it is also protected in the reserves of Yalta and Crimea. Typically, an individual with blue or rather purple wings is found in attics under the roofs of residential buildings. There she builds a nest in the rafters and beams, gnawing through thick channels. Because of this, representatives of this species are often referred to as “tree bumblebee.” This article will tell you about the characteristics of the insect and its lifestyle.

Nutrition and reproduction

Black bumblebees look for mating partners in the spring. At this time, males attract the attention of females with a loud buzzing. One male can fertilize up to 5 females. After this, the female looks for a suitable place to live. Having found it, it first gnaws through a fairly long horizontal tunnel the width of an adult’s finger, and then turns down and gnaws through the cells.

The female fills each cell with pollen, then places an egg there and seals it with a dense sticky mass consisting of wood dust and her own saliva. Having filled all the cells, the female seals the entrance to the nest. The hatched larvae grow and develop inside their cell. They pupate in it and the imago emerges from the cocoon. Young bumblebees spend the winter in the nest, and in the spring they gnaw a way out and get out.

Adult purple carpenter bumblebees feed on pollen and nectar; the larvae have enough reserves left by the female in the cell with the egg.

Benefits and harms

Why is this beautiful bumblebee dangerous? Male purple carpenter bumblebees lack the ability to sting, although they can pursue intruders into their territory. A female bee can sting, but it will not attack for no reason; in most cases, it will simply fly away when it sees a person. Solitary arboreal bees are characterized by a low level of aggression, in contrast to honey bees (average level of aggression), or wasps (high). The black bumblebee is no exception.

The sting of a black carpenter bee is painful and dangerous. Severe pain is felt at the site of the lesion, the skin turns red and swells. Insect venom contains substances that affect the human nervous system, so serious problems are possible for people with neurological diseases. Extremely negative consequences are likely for people suffering from allergies.

Could this bee attack lead to death? A carpenter bee sting to the throat can actually be fatal due to anaphylactic shock. However, the insect is an endangered species and, due to its calm disposition, rarely bites. Therefore, the likelihood of being harmed by a purple carpenter bumblebee is extremely low.

Carpenter bumblebees are sometimes considered pests that damage wooden buildings. But insects never choose fresh, strong wood for their nests. It is beyond their strength, despite their powerful jaws. Carpenters settle only in old wood that has lost a significant portion of its density. Therefore, their settlements can be considered an indicator of the quality of fences or sheds. If the carpenter bee begins to build masonry in them, then it’s time to update the material.

Carpenter bees do not live in painted or treated wood. The purple carpenter bumblebee is an excellent pollinator. In solitary bees this figure is many times higher. They work even in bad weather and are able to cover vast distances in search of food.

How dangerous is a tree bumblebee bite?

Although the blue bumblebee is not usually aggressive, it may still sting a person, for example if it is frightened, feels threatened, or is defending a nest. The main danger of a bumblebee bite is a toxic substance that enters the bloodstream at the time of the bite and quickly spreads throughout the body.

In most cases, the problem is treated with only pain and slight swelling. But depending on the location of the bite and the state of the person’s immune system, the consequences can be much more severe.

Rules for dealing with a carpenter bumblebee bite

Due to their dark color, menacing buzzing and somewhat ponderous flight, carpenter bumblebees appear huge and dangerous. Therefore, the bite of such an insect immediately causes panic, which is only aggravated by pain and rapidly developing swelling in the affected area. The most important thing is to calm down, act quickly and take all possible measures to avoid unpleasant consequences.

Bite

Symptoms of a bumblebee bite

The main symptoms of a black bumblebee bite are not much different from the symptoms of the bite of any stinging insect. After a bumblebee stings, the following appears:

sharp pain, burning;
skin redness;
swelling;
seals at the site of the bite;
increase in temperature of the affected area.

Symptoms appear very quickly, but how long they last depends on the individual characteristics of the person. For some, recovery takes a few hours, for others it takes weeks.

First aid

To reduce pain and swelling, as well as prevent the development of serious consequences, competent first aid is necessary after a black bumblebee bite. It is as follows:

wash the wound;
treat the bite site with an antiseptic;
apply a cold compress;
take an antihistamine;
drink a lot of clean water to quickly remove toxins from the body.

Do not scratch the wound, cauterize it, or try to squeeze out the poison. If the stung person’s health worsens, you should immediately seek medical help.

Consequences and allergic reaction

The main negative consequences after a bumblebee bite are associated with the development of allergies. In some people, the immune system reacts very actively to a toxin that has entered the blood. This may be expressed by the following symptoms:

severe redness and extensive swelling, spreading far beyond the boundaries of the affected area;
rash on the body;
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
weakness, dizziness;
labored breathing;
rapid or too slow pulse;
high temperature, fever, chills.

In severe cases, convulsions, loss of consciousness are observed, and the likelihood of anaphylactic shock is high.

Prevention of attacks

To avoid a bumblebee attack, just follow simple rules:

do not walk on the grass barefoot;
do not make sudden movements to drive away the insect;
Do not use perfume with a strong odor.

Well, of course, you shouldn’t try to destroy a bumblebee nest.

What behavior does the black bumblebee have and how does it reproduce?

The black bumblebee differs from other members of the family in its large body size (27 mm). All individuals are assigned to the genus Xylocopa. The insect has a completely black color with the effect of purple reflections. At first glance, it may seem to ordinary people that there is a fly in front of them. Blue bumblebees live solitary lives, never creating large working families under the leadership of an authoritative queen.

The bee has a fairly calm disposition and will not attack a person passing by. However, the bite force of the black (blue) bumblebee is several times higher than that of an ordinary honey insect.
The large head with a purple tint is striking in its size, and the blue bumblebee has very powerful jaws. Due to the unique sticky cover of their legs, these creatures collect large amounts of pollen from plants, trees and flowers.
They were nicknamed carpenters because they prefer to make their homes in the trunks and attics of people’s homes. Capable of chewing long tunnels on the roofs of houses.
In their nests, insects build special partitions, where, having collected a sufficient amount of pollen, they lay eggs and seal the passages in their homes.
The larvae of the black (blue) bumblebee mature on their own and, upon hatching, begin to gnaw their way to freedom.
When this active insect is busy with its activities, a person calmly resting hears a rather loud sound.

We suggest you read: Why is the bumblebee striped for children?

On a note!

Beekeepers have long cherished the hope of domesticating this insect and making it look like a honey bee, but all attempts to tame its wild nature have so far been unsuccessful.

The black bumblebee is very rarely found in nature and is listed in the Red Book. The present species inhabits the central and western territories of the Old World.

From May to June, hardworking bees diligently collect nectar from a variety of plants and flowers (white acacia, willow, red clover).

Scientists compare the behavior of a loving pair of bees with the mating behavior of some species of birds. The male individual bravely rises to the surface of an elevated place and for a long time with great courage guards the territory from the encroachments of other males. Future mothers of cubs also try to occupy heights where they will meet a potential partner.

Having collected pollen with the help of its sticky paws, the blue bumblebee transports it to its own home. There he stores the rich harvest at the bottom of special cells, and then moistens it with nutritious nectar. Eggs are laid in the resulting mixture.

It turns out that in each separate section an embryo develops, and nectar is lovingly and abundantly left around, which will serve as food for the newborn individual. The fathers and mothers of the family, having closed the entrance to the nest, leave it forever.

Varieties of bees

The common bumblebee is sometimes confused with a wasp, which also has yellow stripes on its body. Bees have a calm disposition and rarely sting humans.
Honey-bearing specimens are more hardworking, therefore they are in great demand among beekeepers. Brown and golden stripes are visible on their abdomen. Honey bees differ in the specifics of their nutrition and life activity.
The black bumblebee from the American continent is a productive nectar collector. This specimen is endowed with an active and nervous character, and begins to rush about passionately when the beekeeper opens the hive.
The German bee has a strong immune system and a calmer disposition. There is a great stratification in the family: some create huge families, others remain hermits.
An insect from the northern regions of Africa behaves most aggressively in the apiary. The species is famous for its fertility. When keeping insects, beekeepers use personal protective equipment, since the bite of the black bumblebee is quite sensitive.
Specimens from central Europe are actively engaged in reproduction in autumn and spring. Endowed with strong immunity against popular diseases of the species. If you disturb them, they begin to behave irritably and sternly.
The black Sicilian bumblebee has a long proboscis and a peaceful nature. They never allow themselves to steal other people's supplies.

On a note!

Science knows a wide variety of black bumblebees. Each species has a unique behavior, coloring and body structure. Beekeepers value those individuals that hardworkingly collect nectar and take it to the apiary, where healing honey is obtained.

How to get rid of it?

If a black bumblebee is circling and buzzing threateningly near your house, there is no need to panic. Most likely he ended up here by accident and will fly away very soon. If insects have chosen one of the buildings or a tree on the site, measures need to be taken.

To begin with, you should try to get rid of insects using gentle methods. You can, for example, use the fact that carpenter bumblebees, like all bees, have a negative attitude towards loud sounds. By placing speakers on the street and regularly turning them on at full volume, it is quite possible to drive away unwanted neighbors.

Mint

Another option is to plant plants in the area whose smell bumblebees do not like, such as garlic or mint. Smoke bombs will also help drive away insects.

The following methods are used to exterminate bumblebees:

traps (homemade from a wooden box and a plastic bottle or purchased with ultrasonic lamps);
treating the nest and the space around it with essential oils, infusions of mint, lavender, thyme, and onion;
filling the nests with machine oil, diesel fuel, gasoline, and soap solution.

To prevent the appearance of carpenter bumblebees, all wooden surfaces should be treated with varnish, paint or special impregnation.

Attention! As is known, bumblebees do not make nests in treated wood.

Carpenter bee (black bumblebee) with blue wings, features of the species

Everyone who has constant contact with nature paid attention to large black bees, which could be mistaken for a fly or bumblebee. However, this type of insect is neither one nor the other. Carpenter bees from the Apidae family belong to the species of solitary bees and are endangered, therefore they are listed in the Red Book

The habitat of the carpenter bee (xylocope) extends to the territory of central and western Europe, northern Africa, and in the east to Mongolia, with the exception of northern latitudes. On the territory of Russia, the blue bee is distributed in the Volga region and the Central Black Earth region, the south of the Stavropol and Krasnodar territories, Moscow, Tula, Arkhangelsk, Leningrad and a number of other regions.