Big Black Bees

[Wandering Man]

Found these bees out pollinating Wife's esperanza today. 

There was one bee who had yellow fuzz on her thorax.  Then there were several others that were totally black.  The totally black bees were camera shy.  I was only able to get one good shot of them.  The one wearing the fur coat seemed to be pretty proud of her fur. She allowed me to take lots of pics.

Anyone know what kind of a black bee these are?

[neillsayers]

Bumble bees?
Carpenter bees?

[Wandering Man]

The bumblers we have around here have black and yellow bands. I thought it might be big for a carpenter bee. But maybe not.

[neillsayers]

You got my curiosity piqued so I did an internet search. I believe the fellows with the yellow circle on their thorax are eastern carpenter bees. The solid black I believe is a female valley carpenter bee. She's at the easternmost of her range in your area if that is what she is.

Great pics, WM!

[Wandering Man]

Thanks for the info, neillsayers.

We had carpenter bees in a cedar gazebo ten years ago when living in Aransas Pass. I've thought some more about those bees, and I think they were big. I remember thinking they were strange looking bumble bees. I think they had white stripes, though.

Now I've got to go learn about these kinds of carpenters.

[neillsayers]

As soon as we get interested in bees, we start noticing every bug on a flower. Cool, huh?

[Barbarian]

I tried looking on the UK Bumblebee Conservation Trust website. No joy. It seems that they haven't been seen in the UK.

[Bakersdozen]

We, the general public, don't know as much about bumble bees as we do honey bees.  Honey bees, the Kardashians of the bee world, get all the press.  It's highly possible some species have gone extinct or are in danger and we don't even know it.
There is going to be a researcher do a presentation, in Kansas City, in a couple of weeks.  He has studied native bees in the KC area and St. Louis.  I hope to be able to attend.  It's a very busy time at work, but I have my fingers crossed.

[lazy shooter]

@Baker:

"The Kardashians of the bee world."  How well spoken.  You're a great word smith Baker.

lazy

[Wandering Man]

You got my curiosity piqued so I did an internet search. I believe the fellows with the yellow circle on their thorax are eastern carpenter bees. The solid black I believe is a female valley carpenter bee. She's at the easternmost of her range in your area if that is what she is.

Great pics, WM!

I found this, from the USDA Forest service:

http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/carpenter_bees.shtml

We had them exterminated when they invaded our little gazebo in Aransas Pass, and were beginning to move on to the main house.

I guess I need to look closely around our present home and hope they have taken up residence somewhere not vital to my well-being.

[becsbeehive]

I don't think I've come across these carpenter bees. Are they meant to be regional?