Xylocopa sonorina, commonly known as the teddy bear bee or the valley carpenter bee, is an unusual species that can be found in the western United States, Mexico, and parts of the South Pacific. It's one of the largest bees in North America, measuring up to 26mm (about 1 inch) long, which is roughly the size of a paperclip. Its eggs are also among the largest insect eggs in the world, measuring up to 15mm long.
These are solitary bees, meaning that they don't form colonies or live together in hives. The females occassionally engage in facultative sociality (living in small, loose-knit communities that benefit from one another) but each bee still occupies her own private burrow/nest.
Each nest is created by excavating a tunnel into a tree, telephone pole, fence post or other wooden structure, as this article explains:
Females chew out tunnels that are 15-25cm deep. Each cell in the tunnel receives a pollen/nectar ball and at least one egg. Larvae pupate, emerge and hibernate in their nest cells during the winter.
The males have a very distinctive appearance -- their eyes are bright green, and their bodies are covered in thick, golden-orange "fur" (which is actually composed of hair-like structures known as setae). The females look totally different, with black bodies, dark eyes, and a dark metallic sheen on their wings. This photo shows a female teddy bear bee.
The males are completely harmless, as they lack the ability to sting. The females can sting, but they rarely sting humans unless they are directly threatened.
Xylocopa sonorina is not the world's only teddy bear bee -- that nickname is also shared by Amegilla bombiformis, which is another species of solitary bee that can be found only in Australia. Amegilla bombiformis is covered in a similar layer of brownish-orange "fur," but its body is much smaller and more compact. You can see a photo of that species here..
Are these beautiful bees endangered as well? I know that solitary bees across North America are doing poorly due to agricultural chemicals and competition from honeybees.
Like all solitary bees (and bees in general) it's currently facing issues related to loss of habitat, pollution, climate change, pesticides, etc., and one of the reasons why the females are sometimes facultatively social is because there is so much competition for suitable nesting sites, but it hasn't reached the point where it would be considered an endangered, threatened, or even near-threatened species.
Love these guys. Those pale green eyes are just amazing.
I grow allot of tomatoes, and they really like the flowers. During the season, one or two stop in like clockwork every day to inspect the flowers. The females are the giant shiny black ones. you might mistake them for giant bumblebees with no coloring. Both are harmless, males more than females because they don't sting or bite, they can't. Females arent aggressive.
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Xylocopa sonorina, commonly known as the teddy bear bee or the valley carpenter bee, is an unusual species that can be found in the western United States, Mexico, and parts of the South Pacific. It's one of the largest bees in North America, measuring up to 26mm (about 1 inch) long, which is roughly the size of a paperclip. Its eggs are also among the largest insect eggs in the world, measuring up to 15mm long.
These are solitary bees, meaning that they don't form colonies or live together in hives. The females occassionally engage in facultative sociality (living in small, loose-knit communities that benefit from one another) but each bee still occupies her own private burrow/nest.
Each nest is created by excavating a tunnel into a tree, telephone pole, fence post or other wooden structure, as this article explains:
The males have a very distinctive appearance -- their eyes are bright green, and their bodies are covered in thick, golden-orange "fur" (which is actually composed of hair-like structures known as setae). The females look totally different, with black bodies, dark eyes, and a dark metallic sheen on their wings. This photo shows a female teddy bear bee.
The males are completely harmless, as they lack the ability to sting. The females can sting, but they rarely sting humans unless they are directly threatened.
Xylocopa sonorina is not the world's only teddy bear bee -- that nickname is also shared by Amegilla bombiformis, which is another species of solitary bee that can be found only in Australia. Amegilla bombiformis is covered in a similar layer of brownish-orange "fur," but its body is much smaller and more compact. You can see a photo of that species here..
Sources & More Info:
Are these beautiful bees endangered as well? I know that solitary bees across North America are doing poorly due to agricultural chemicals and competition from honeybees.
No, this species is not endangered, thankfully.
Like all solitary bees (and bees in general) it's currently facing issues related to loss of habitat, pollution, climate change, pesticides, etc., and one of the reasons why the females are sometimes facultatively social is because there is so much competition for suitable nesting sites, but it hasn't reached the point where it would be considered an endangered, threatened, or even near-threatened species.
I'll take this piece of good news.
This is my favorite awwducational ever
r/awwnverts
From Australia.
Me, sobbing in Canada.
I saw one in the backyard and was mesmerized. I’d never seen anything like him, and just stood there gaping at his bright eyes and lovely fuzziness.
What a cute little bee! I had never heard of them!
FLOOF
Love these guys. Those pale green eyes are just amazing.
I grow allot of tomatoes, and they really like the flowers. During the season, one or two stop in like clockwork every day to inspect the flowers. The females are the giant shiny black ones. you might mistake them for giant bumblebees with no coloring. Both are harmless, males more than females because they don't sting or bite, they can't. Females arent aggressive.
These guys are really plush. I love bumblebees, they're quite friendly.
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Keep him he looks so cute.
I've heard that they smell good, too. I've had the good fortune to meet a couple of them, but they never lit or stayed still enough for a sniff.
Oh great there flying teddy bear now hahahaha 😆🤪🤪🤪🤪
Aww... look at those knees!
AND they have a heart shaped chip on their head?! awesome
Hmm not sure they look like fluffy teddy bears