Opening the identification guide
Compare a furry abdomen with a shiny black one, then compare their nests.
Scope: Eastern North America; eastern carpenter bee (Xylocopa virginica) versus local Bombus spp. · Last updated
Densely hairy, with pattern and color varying by species
Upper abdomen largely bare, black, and glossy
Social colony, often in an old underground burrow or cavity
Females excavate or reuse round entrances in bare wood; nests are not eusocial colonies
Works flowers steadily; many species buzz-pollinate by vibrating
Males often hover conspicuously near eaves and railings
Females can sting; usually defensive near the nest
Hovering males cannot sting; females can but seldom do
Source-checked editorial guide. Last updated .
Foraging females pack pollen into a bare, concave basket on the hind leg
Females carry pollen in a dense brush of hind-leg hairs, not a basket
