Posts Tagged: Xylocopa varipuncta

David and Goliath? Underdog Vs. Bigger Opponent?

Remember the biblical story about David and Goliath? How young David, the underdog, defeats a Philistine giant? Sometimes you think the same kind of battle will occur in nature when a honey bee, Apis mellifera, encounters a much larger carpenter bee,...

A honey bee comes faces to face with a Valley carpenter bee on a mustard blossom. The Valley carpenter bee is native to the United States, while the honey bee is native to Europe. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee comes faces to face with a Valley carpenter bee on a mustard blossom. The Valley carpenter bee is native to the United States, while the honey bee is native to Europe. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Valley carpenter bee spreads her wings, claiming the entire flower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Valley carpenter bee spreads her wings, claiming the entire flower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This is the male Valley carpenter bee, Xylocopa varipuncta, also known as "the teddy bear bee." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This is the male Valley carpenter bee, Xylocopa varipuncta, also known as "the teddy bear bee." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Boys Are Back in Town!

The boys are back in town. After the long winter and rainy spring, the boys are back in town. That would be the male Valley carpenter bees, Xylocopa varipuncta, or what Robbin Thorp, distinguished emeritus professor of entomology at UC Davis, calls...

A male Valley carpenter bee, Xylocopa varipuncta, nectaring on a tower of jewels, Echium wildpretii, in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male Valley carpenter bee, Xylocopa varipuncta, nectaring on a tower of jewels, Echium wildpretii, in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The male Valley carpenter bee is often mistaken for a bumble bee, or what some have called a "golden bumble bee." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The male Valley carpenter bee is often mistaken for a bumble bee, or what some have called a "golden bumble bee." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The male Valley carpenter bee didn't perceive the photographer as a threat. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The male Valley carpenter bee didn't perceive the photographer as a threat. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The male Valley carpenter bee protrudes his proboscis (tongue) to sip nectar from a tower of jewels, Echium wildpretii. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The male Valley carpenter bee protrudes his proboscis (tongue) to sip nectar from a tower of jewels, Echium wildpretii. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

And off he goes, a male Valley carpenter bee in flight. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

And off he goes, a male Valley carpenter bee in flight. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Valley Carpenter Bees: Drama in the Garden

Some folks call them "bumble bees," but they're not. In size, the female Valley carpenter bee (Xylocopa varipuncta) resembles a bumble bee, but certainly not in color. The female Valley carpenter is solid black with metallic wings. The male of the...

Don't bug me, I'm trying to wake up. This female Valley carpenter bee, Xylocopa varipuncta, peers over a blue spike salvia (Salvia uliginosa) blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Don't bug me, I'm trying to wake up. This female Valley carpenter bee, Xylocopa varipuncta, peers over a blue spike salvia (Salvia uliginosa) blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The female Valley carpenter bee sips nectar from a blue spike salvia, Salvia uliginosa. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The female Valley carpenter bee sips nectar from a blue spike salvia, Salvia uliginosa. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The metallic wings of the female Valley carpenter bee gleam in the sun as she sips nectar from gold coin, Asteriscus maritimus. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The metallic wings of the female Valley carpenter bee gleam in the sun as she sips nectar from gold coin, Asteriscus maritimus. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This is the male Valley carpenter, Xylocopa varipuncta, bee on germander. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This is the male Valley carpenter, Xylocopa varipuncta, bee on germander. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Under Attack: European Wool Carder Bee Vs. Male Valley Carpenter Bee

Meet the competitors. In this corner, meet Mr. Teddy Bear. He's a blond, green-eyed carpenter bee, Xylocopa varipuncta, a native, and one of three species of carpenter bees commonly found from northern to southern California to western New...

Meet Mr. Teddy Bear, a green-eyed blond trying to nourish himself on foxglove nectar. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Meet Mr. Teddy Bear, a green-eyed blond trying to nourish himself on foxglove nectar. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Meet Mr. Bodyslam, a very territorial European wool carder bee. He patrols the foxgloves. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Meet Mr. Bodyslam, a very territorial European wool carder bee. He patrols the foxgloves. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Mr. Bodyslam targets the unsuspecting Mr. Teddy Bear. "Hey, get away from my flowers and nobody gets hurt." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Mr. Bodyslam targets the unsuspecting Mr. Teddy Bear. "Hey, get away from my flowers and nobody gets hurt." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Mr. Bodyslam is moving so fast, he's a blur. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Mr. Bodyslam is moving so fast, he's a blur. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

And the battle begins! Mr. Bodyslam attacks Mr. Teddy Bear. "Hey, can't a fellow get a bite to eat in peace?" (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

And the battle begins! Mr. Bodyslam attacks Mr. Teddy Bear. "Hey, can't a fellow get a bite to eat in peace?" (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Gotcha! The attack turns vicious. Mr. Bodyslam slams into Mr. Teddy Bear, a blow that prompted Mr. Teddy Bear to depart (only to return). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Gotcha! The attack turns vicious. Mr. Bodyslam slams into Mr. Teddy Bear, a blow that prompted Mr. Teddy Bear to depart (only to return). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Boys Are Back in Town

The boys are back in town! Well, at least one is. We don't know where the girls are. Neither, apparently, does he. A male Valley carpenter bee, Xylocopa varipuncta, aka "the teddy bear bee," buzzed into our mustard patch Sunday and nectared on the...

A male Valley carpenter bee, Xylocopa varipuncta, nectars on a a mustard blossom in Vacaville, Calif. on Sunday, March 25. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male Valley carpenter bee, Xylocopa varipuncta, nectars on a a mustard blossom in Vacaville, Calif. on Sunday, March 25. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Peek-a-bee! The male Valley carpenter bee peers at the photographer. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Peek-a-bee! The male Valley carpenter bee peers at the photographer. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

We have lift-off! The teddy bear bee, Xylocopa varipuncta,leaves a mustard blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

We have lift-off! The teddy bear bee, Xylocopa varipuncta,leaves a mustard blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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