Last Updated December 5th, 2022: When you come across carpenter bees, how do you tell the differences between male vs female carpenter bees? Male and female carpenter bees showcase different attitudes while pollinating plants. As a result, they affect the plant’s reproductive cycle in diverse ways. The function of the male carpenter bees is to steal nectar from flowers. In comparison, the female bees are responsible for taking records of any nectar theft. That being said, carpenter bees look like bumblebees so make sure you aren’t getting confused!
Male Vs Female Carpenter Bee
If you’re dealing with carpenter bees, it makes sense to be able to tell the difference between male and female carpenter bees. They have very different ecological roles, as well as habits and attitude.
To understand the differences between male vs female carpenter bees, read this two minutes post for exciting revelations. Read our guide on what carpenter bees look like to get further insight on these insects.
Male Carpenter Bees
The name “carpenter bee” comes from almost all species burrowing through solid plant material. They use dead wood or bamboo to build their nests. Species in the subgenus Proxylocopa are notable omissions. What they do is construct nesting holes in favorable soil.
If you see a carpenter bee buzzing and approaching you with so much aggression, it’s a male. Male carpenter bees are non-stinging bees that lack a stinger behind them. So they do this as a technique to scare you away. Their general defense method is to dive bomb, swoop down, and smash any aggressor.
The white spot on the male carpenter bee’s head is the most prominent distinguishing trait from female carpenter bees. Male bees have a high scavenging performance and can explore many flowers per given period. At the same time, the tiny male bee visits a single flower for a shorter period than the giant female bee. The male carpenter bees have a habit of hovering at the nest entry. The purpose of this is to safeguard their female counterparts.
Female Carpenter Bees
Female carpenter bees are the opposite sex of make carpenter bees. Female carpenter bees have stingers behind them, and they always stay close to their eggs. So, when you disturb their nest, they will deliver a painful sting out of provocation. Don’t stick an unprotected finger inside the hole because she’ll sting you!
A distinguishing feature of female carpenter bees is nest building. They use their powerful vibrating jaws to bore up to ½ Inches in the woods. The burrow is about two feet long with many other channels. After the burrow, they lay eggs inside the hole they have created.
She feeds her young with pollen grains. Then the little carpenter bees will live inside with their mother until they become adults. Once they are grown, they leave the nest late in the summer. Unlike the male, female carpenter bees’ distinguishing feature is a pure blackhead.
Furthermore, female carpenter bees’ pollinating behavior is more damaging than males. It has a significant impact on flower structures (nectarines and ovules). It also affects the floral lifespan. Find out more what carpenter bees typically eat!
How to Identify the Differences Between Male vs Female Carpenter Bees
Check for Stingers
Male carpenter bees have no stingers at their backs. The female carpenter bees have stingers behind them.
Examine the Head
A significant difference between the male and female carpenter bees is the appearance of their head. The male carpenter bees with yellow or green fur have white marks on their heads. But the female bees have a pure black mark. But, certain male breeds have a metallic blue or purple color mark on their heads.
Energy Gain
According to the energy trade-off theory, the amount of energy male bees net gain during nectar theft far outweighs their energy payback. However, the net energy gain of female bees is just enough to fulfill the energy payout per time interval.
Safeguarding
A male carpenter bee guard itself by dive-bombing. While the female carpenter bees safeguard themselves using their stinger behind.
Responsibility
The male carpenter bees safeguard their females and their nest. In comparison, the female bees are responsible for constructing nests and laying more eggs.
Level of Aggression
The males are always aggressive because their task is to protect their territories from danger. In contrast, the female carpenter bees become aggressive when you provoke them.
Nesting
Another difference between these genders of carpenter bees is in nesting. The male bees do not dig holes for nests, whereas the female carpenter bees build nests in the wood.
Pollination
Male carpenter bees carry out the majority of nectar scavenging from flowers. But female carpenter bees do not scavenge nectar from flowers as much as males do.
Note that the male bees gain different amounts of energy from nectar robbing than females. And this is a result of the differences in behavior between each gender. The different preferences in food resources by male and female bees create an ideal pattern of resource allocation. This allows the visitors to take advantage of floral resources to the greatest extent possible.
Similarities Between Male vs Female Carpenter Bees
Although male carpenter bees and female carpenter bees have some differences, they still share many things in common. Let’s take a look at some of them.
- Both male and female genders are carpenter bees.
- They both have naked, dark, and glittery bellies.
- They have short tongues, enabling them to eat on flower petals with open faces.
- Carpenter bees, both male and female, are members of the genus Xylocopa.
- They share the same height and width. Both the male and female carpenter bees have a size of ¾ inch to 1 inch.
- Both bees have a bushy thorax that is orange and sometimes yellow or orange in hue.
- Both carpenter bees are giant.
- Male and female carpenter bees are energetic during the springtime.
- Both will leave carpenter bee feces behind!
Final Thoughts On Female vs Male Carpenter Bees
On the physical, a male and female carpenter bee look similar when put together. But their different characters outweigh their similarities. Like we earlier said, the most significant differentiating factor between the male and female carpenter bees is the mark on their head. The males have a white spot, but the females have a shiny black spot on their heads. Even though you don’t remember much, this shouldn’t slide out of your memory.
Moreover, the female carpenter bees are capable of stinging predators. And this can happen when they are placed in dangerous situations.
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