There are a lot of black bumble bees, which are also known as carpenter bees, in Phoenix. Sometimes you may find them on your property. People often mix them up with other bee species, like bumble bees and honey bees, because they look a lot alike. Here’s what you need to know about black bumble bees and how to identify them.
If you think you might have a bee problem on your property, the first thing you should do is figure out what kind of bees you have. Here’s a look at some of the most common and their identifying features.
Honey bees are the type that you are probably most familiar with. These small bees typically have black and yellow stripes around their bodies. They are best-suited for pollinating open flowers and live in large colonies. Honey bee stings can be painful, sometimes causing allergic reactions, but they generally won’t sting unless provoked.
Besides having black and yellow stripes, bumble bees are also bigger than honey bees. Their bodies are mostly covered with fur, and they gather pollen and nectar. Bumble bee colonies are usually smaller, comprising as few as 50 bees. They make their colonies underground to avoid heat and direct sunlight, which are common in our Phoenix climate.
Carpenter bees are about the same size and height as bumble bees. They are mostly black and don’t have as much fur. This is how people call them black bumble bees, even though they aren’t really bumble bees. Unlike the other bee types, though, black bumble bees do not focus their efforts on pollenating. Instead, they burrow nests in wood to lay their eggs.
Black bumble bees do not live in colonies, rather, they pair off, with each couple living alone. Female carpenter bees are largely responsible for building the nest. In a series of tunnels, she’ll lay eggs. When the babies come out the next spring, the male guards the nest and gathers nectar for them to eat.
Title: Identifying the Large Black Bee in Arizona
Arizona is home to over 1,000 species of bees, many of which are large, black, and easily mistaken for one another. One of the most common large black bees found in Arizona is the Carpenter Bee, known for burrowing into wood to make their nests. Here’s a guide to identifying the large black Carpenter Bee and differentiating it from other lookalike bees in Arizona.
The Carpenter Bee can grow over 1 inch long, making it one of the biggest bees in the state Both male and female Carpenter Bees have a shiny black abdomen, thorax, and head. Their most distinguishing feature is their yellow/white face Males have a yellow dot on their face while females have a white/yellow face stripe.
Carpenter Bees get their name from their nest-building habits. Using their powerful jaws, they bore circular holes into dead wood, tree trunks, and wooden structures. These holes become their nests and breeding sites. Homeowners may find Carpenter Bees tunneling into fences, barns, sheds, and wooden patio covers. Although a nuisance, they rarely sting unless provoked.
Two other large black bees sometimes confused with the Carpenter Bee are the Bumble Bee and Honey Bee. Bumble Bees have a fuzzy, black and yellow abdomen. Their heads are mostly black with some yellow between the wings. Honey Bees have brown and yellow banding across their lower abdomens and thoraxes. Their heads also contain more yellow than a Carpenter Bee.
So how do you differentiate? Size and nesting habits are key:
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Carpenter Bees reach over 1 inch, larger than Bumble Bees and Honey Bees.
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Carpenter Bees nest by excavating wood while Bumble Bees nest underground and Honey Bees in manmade hives.
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Carpenter Bees have a mostly black head with light face markings. Bumble Bee and Honey Bee heads have more yellow.
The Carpenter Bee is a very common sight in Arizona, active from spring through fall. Although their wood-boring habits can be destructive, they are important native pollinators. Their size and color pattern make them one of the most easily identifiable of Arizona’s big black bees. A little knowledge goes a long way in learning to recognize them.
The Danger of Black Bumble Bees
Because they live such solitary lifestyles, carpenter bees generally do not sting. Even though the females can sting, it takes a lot of pressure to get them to do so. In general, they are not dangerous to people. That doesn’t mean that you want them hanging around your Phoenix property though.
Carpenter bees can cause significant damage to your home. As they burrow into the wood in your home’s structure to nest, they create networks of tunnels. This weakens the wood, making it more likely to crack or break, possibly requiring costly repairs. Not only that, but damage to the structure of your home can make it less valuable if you ever decide to sell it.
When the eggs hatch the next spring, you’ll probably have to deal with a lot more black bumble bees. This is a problem that is best dealt with quickly to avoid an infestation in the future. The more carpenter bees nearby, the greater the potential for significant damage to the structure of your home.
Stung by a GIANT Black Bee!
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