Bumble or Carpenter Bee?

15 years ago

I have those huge black bees in my yard. They are so loud that I can always tell when they are around. Not sure if they are bumble bees or carpenter bees but they seem to prefer the pink and purple colored flowers. They love my rose of sharon tree, crape myrtle trees, purple flowered potato tree and the pink tubed flowers from my cactus. This morning I saw two hovering together in my crape myrtle. I usually don't see these bees until later in the afternoon but this year I am seeing them as early as 6:30 in the morning! I love to work in my yard but these things scare the heck out of me, mainly because of their size lol! Are these beneficial bees and will they try to sting me if I am working in my yard?

Comments (6)

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
15 years ago
Both bees are beneficial, though the carpenter bees can do a number on wood siding, eaves, etc. Foraging bees couldn't be less interested in you and will pay attention to their work no matter what the destraction.

In my many years of gardening, I have never been stung by a bee of any kind.
larry_gene
15 years ago
Bumblebees should have some kind of color stripe or markings and usually don't hover.

Perhaps your mornings are warmer lately, or there are more of these bees in your area, or your garden is especially attractive this year.

The bumblebees around here are easily disturbed and fly in repeated circles around me, but never land on me or come really close.
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Oh I will miss them too. They are one of my fav things about moving to the south. Still getting used to that buzzing noise and am trying to stop yanking my head to look and scaring them away. The plants they like that I have are Lantana, butterfly bush, Zinnias, Cannas, Basil, Coleus, and they often inspect the potted Tradescantia zebrinas on my front porch but, of course, don't find anything there for them. I'm hesitant to do feeders because there are several weekends per summer when we are not home, and likely anyone who I'd ask do this for us is WITH us. I don't want to artificially increase the available food if I can't reliably provide it every day. Being able to see them at my leisure, my chosen location, and for my amusement doesn't seem like a fair thing to do. Also seems like if they are here anyway, feeders are not needed. Other family members really want to get one though and it's kind of an ongoing discussion, erratic responsibility vs. "it would be so cool!" What are your thoughts about this?
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After further googling, I am almost 100% sure my little buddies are Eastern carpenter bees. Probably the little buggers responsible for slicing into my coral honeysuckle blooms too, the little stinkers! They sure are dead ringers for bumblebees... guess I'd better rethink what I "know." :]
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As a fairly new gardner...this is a great thing to say: Finally something I am doing right! I have all the grubs and bees you want....come right over and get them! Really...I have a huge population of each and though I am on a pond, i am not too far from the city and on a busy road, so it is weird that there is a thought that cell phones are attributing the decrease in the population.... but since I got rid of the bush, does anyone have infor on starting a safe hive away from the house? maybe I can make up for cutting down the bush...it wasn't my intention to decrease their food, I just needed them away from my deck for medical reasons. Not knowing there was a problem with the population of bees, I took down some form of hydrangea bush (white oblongish flowers) that was here when we moved in. I often have my students to the house and several are allergic to bees as are some of my friend and this was basically on top of the deck.
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I saw a bumbler yesterday and its abdomen was black but quite different from the bees I saw at the nursery. The bees at the nursery did have shiny black abdomens so they probably were carpenter bees. It was the first time I saw such a large bee. By the way, are honey bees small? The nursery fellow bumped a couple on their abdomen and said they were honey bees. I thought honey bees were larger. The ones he said were honey bees were smaller than bumblebees. (Please remember, I spent the last 30 some years in a city. I'm new to country living.)
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elitephil
15 years ago
Check out this page regarding how to get rid of bees; there is a link to a good bee identification chart in the first paragraph as well.
jemdandy
15 years ago
Bumble bees live in small in-ground burrows. They like to make their nest alongside building foundations and stoops. Bumble bees are usually docile and won't bother you if you do not threaten them. However, they are protective of their nest site and may sting if you get too close to their nest. Small children collect bumble bee stings because they did not recognize this danger and maybe stepped on or near the nest.
chuckr30
15 years ago
As a kid there was a rumor that bumble bees cannot sting, since kids would hold them in their hand and not get stung. However, I believe they do have stingers, the bees just are pretty docile.

Anyway, carpenter bees tend to have slightly flattened (top to bottom) abdomens. If you saw a pic, you would see what I mean. Use Google Images to find a pic of a carpenter bee. Also, on a carpenter bee their abdomens tend to be at least shiny in spots, while bumble bee abdomens are too hairy to be shiny.
loloo
15 years ago
I`m an elderly lady who just had my first experience with an angry bumbler. I adore the docile bee and was surprised when one would not leave me alone. It flew around my head and tried to get at my face. After what seemed like walking a mile, it finally left. I spoke to a pest control man about this as my arms and legs were exposed and the bee was only interested in my face. He said they dislike carbon dioxide and I must have breathed on it.

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Bumble or Carpenter Bee?

Comments (6)

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

larry_gene

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elitephil

jemdandy

chuckr30

loloo

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