Talk:Eastern carpenter bee

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Contents 1 References 2 They've lived here for ten years 3 The "bombus perplexus" must be explained to me 4 Runt images 5 Where does a "megachilid" bee live? 6 Dear PixOnTrax 7 I have videotapes 8 An image

[edit] References

It would be nice to include references here.--Filll 21:56, 20 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] They've lived here for ten years

Humbly, I admit that I am no expert entomologist. I am a person who has observed these creatures for ten years. Their first burrow that I noticed appeared in 1996. An older burrow may have existed prior to 1996, but I was unaware of its existence. As of January, 2007, there are four or more burrows in this old house in which I live. The creatures are inactive now because of cold weather. Snow is on the ground; the temperature of the air is at 27°F (-2°C). The bees will reappear around April 15th, 2007 (in this locale).

I don't know why a "bombus perplexus" would choose the inside of my house as a perch. The window sill in the photograph is about 20 feet from the burrow where the carpenter bee excavated the "castings" of which I took photographs (see the article). I assumed that the bee was an immature woodcutter of the sort that I call "runt" (for lack of a better word).

I am leaning towards the belief that woodcutter bees live for years. I am willing to speculate that if a "runt" successfully survives its first winter, it emerges from underground as a larger bee, then goes on to feeding on many different flowers from springtime to autumn.

I have never observed a "male" woodcutter in the act of returning to the burrow to hibernate through the winter. I'm convinced that "he" lives underground through the winter. Around April 15th, 2007, one will appear outside of the burrow (hibernaculum) where it will hover for hours on end (provided that the sun is shining brightly and that the air temperature is around 80°F (25°C) which is normal in this locale). I have seen that occur year after year.

About six years ago, I observed a clash between two large females. One received a gash in its abdomen, bled, and probably died. Since that time I"ve felt that only one large mature female occupies each burrow, though it may also occupy two burrows (one being vacant most of the time).

I've only observed "mating" one time in ten years. Several "males" were attracted to one female. Brief "mating" occurred in midair and lasted about one second. They are not like beetles, that's for sure.

Someone has erased my caption and replaced it with the word "megachilid," however, the bee in the image is the same old mature female woodcutter that has been here for years. It is now resting inside of the burrow from which those "castings" were tossed. The "castings" includes some yellowish matter which I believe is old, stale, unused food. I don't know if a "megachilid" excavates tunnels in old wood. The bee that I photographed excavated its tunnels. PixOnTrax 18:15, 28 January 2007 (UTC)

Before adding any such information to the article, be sure you include a citation to a reliable source. --Chris Griswold (☎☓) 21:57, 28 January 2007 (UTC)

I am the only person who has viewed those bees. In other words, I am the "reliable source." PixOnTrax 19:24, 29 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] The "bombus perplexus" must be explained to me

My interest has been excited by the identifying (such as it may be) of one creature as being the "Confusing Bumblebee bombus perplexus" in one image. I want to know more about the alleged "bombus perplexus" bee. What is the story? Please explain more in detail. Gracias. PixOnTrax 19:38, 29 January 2007 (UTC)

I am anxiously awaiting some "bombus perplexus" commentaries and clarifications. Hurry, please. PixOnTrax 19:19, 30 January 2007 (UTC)

Bombus Pennsylvanicus is more likely. I have viewed some photographs on them Internet. The furry bee on the window sill may have innocently deceived me into believing that it was a woodcutter. PixOnTrax 02:28, 31 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Runt images

Several blurry images which may be sharpened with the proper photograph manipulating software. There are several black and white wasps devouring a ripe pear. A tiny woodcutter has scurried in to snatch a bite of the pear, too. It is at the tip of the white arrow. This is my proof that small woodcutters walk along the ground. The pear is lying on a concrete walkway beneath a pear tree. The images are from a video that is in "pause" mode and then photographed. PixOnTrax 19:19, 30 January 2007 (UTC)The head of the bee is at the left. The abdomen is to the right, beneath the wings.PixOnTrax 14:31, 1 February 2007 (UTC)

Where are the photo-manipulating and enhancement experts? Submit a clearer image, please. PixOnTrax 17:37, 9 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Where does a "megachilid" bee live?

I'm located in a cold climate with snow covering the ground. Does a "megachilid" live in cold climates? Woodcutters are a common bee is in this region. PixOnTrax 17:37, 9 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Dear PixOnTrax

Hi. You admit that you are no expert entomologist; hopefully, then, you can understand when an expert entomologist has written and edited a page, as in this case, they might not want their hard work removed or altered by someone who knows nothing about the subject matter. Your photo of a leafcutter bee was removed; it was correctly identified by the person who changed your original caption; leafcutters live everywhere in the world that there are plants with leaves that can be cut. Your photos on this talk page are of bald-faced hornets, with a bumblebee in the background; these photos also do not belong here, and Bombus perplexus does not nest in wood, nor do any other bumblebees. You obviously have carpenter bees on your property, and you are evidently confusing them with other bees you are seeing in the area. Your theory about "runts" is physically impossible, as insects do not change shape or size after they reach adulthood. Finally, all carpenter bees only live a single year, though daughters may re-use their mother's burrow (or share it temporarily with her, if they are both alive at the same time), or other females may move into abandoned burrows. I hope this solves some of your confusion. Dyanega 00:26, 10 February 2007 (UTC)

I suppose that a "megachile" stores tiny sticks inside of woodcutters' excavations and then seals the entrance. PixOnTrax 04:56, 10 February 2007 (UTC)

At least one, Megachile sculpturalis, uses old carpenter bee burrows. Dyanega 21:54, 12 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] I have videotapes

Having nothing else to do with my time, I recorded several videotapes of the bees. I have taken photographs of them. I am not sophisticated enough to place a videotape onto the Internet. I simply don't know how.

The woodcutters in these parts live longer than one year. Full-grown "males" will appear as soon as the weather turns warm and sunny.

Someone should edit out the statement that the hovering bees are "looking for mates." The hovering bee is on the lookout for maurauding insects which often fly past nearby. I have stood on my porch and seen them many times. Now, please do not accuse me of conducting Wikipedia's greatest sin: "original research." PixOnTrax 04:56, 10 February 2007 (UTC)

Carpenter bees are among our earliest bees here, too. The males are easily identifiable by their white faces and their hovering around (while the females do the work). Thay are not patrolling; they will attempt to mate with just about anything that flies (even small birds); and they will investigate anything that moves. They have no stingers, thus no defense is possible. Pollinator 02:05, 12 February 2007 (UTC)

Actually, "pet theories" may, if anything, be more potentially damaging to Wikipedia than "original research". In this case, I'm afraid your conclusions about what you have been seeing happen to be wrong - many scientists have observed the same behaviors, and documented what the life cycle is. First, they live only a year. Just because you see a bee in a burrow two years in a row does not mean it is the same bee. Second, only males hover, and they are only looking to mate with females, and part of that is they have to chase away other males from their territory. They will fly after ANYTHING, because it could turn out to be either a female or a rival, and their whole life depends upon success in such "romantic" endeavors. If any "marauding" insects happen to get chased away, then that is what we call a "fringe benefit". Dyanega 22:12, 12 February 2007 (UTC)

"Rivals" is the ideal word. I have been attempting to state that there is competition between the "males" and the "male" that is hovering. The hovering bee is merely the strongest (fittest) "male" bee. As its "marauding" competitors attempt to move into its "territory" or domain and gain access to the burrow, it fends them off. "Males" are able to fly much more adroitly than females. "Females" are larger and fly more slowly. Living only one year seems odd (to me) because fully-grown bees appear in this locale around April 15th each year. Obviously, they have been sacked out someplace during the snowy months. PixOnTrax 11:46, 13 February 2007 (UTC)

Actually there are two things stated above that are probably not true. First, some Xylocopa virginica females do live two seasons. In fact since most females do not reproduce in their first summer (that following the 1st winter) and so they are all almost a year old when they reproduce. Second, and this is being picky, but, the male that is hovering near a nest is more likely positioning for contact with females. So, he is not really guarding the burrow but rather the territory that has the most females, and of course that is the one with the most burrows. Although, this is sort of a tricky distinction.

68.37.247.85 (talk) 04:46, 29 May 2008 (UTC)SMP

[edit] An image

I had thought that this bee was a woodcutter. This image was gleaned from one of my amateurish videotapes that I made late in 2006 (probably in September). I think that the creature has some golden hairs on its metathorax. I assumed that it was a woodcutter gathering provisions for the hatchlings to grow on. I was only in the act of trying out a camcorder, I was not attempting to identify the creature's species. The bee was wary of me and kept its distance from me. About ten feet (3 m) is as close as I could get to it. PixOnTrax 12:10, 13 February 2007 (UTC)

The king is dead: long live the (new) king! PixOnTrax 17:26, 13 February 2007 (UTC)

These photos show exactly what I was referring to: you are confusing several unrelated types of bee. The top photo is a female virginica, not a Megachile; the bottom photo is a dead bumblebee, and it could be perplexus, bimaculatus, or maybe even griseocollis (and none of which nest in wood). Dyanega 17:46, 13 February 2007 (UTC)

I ought to move on to some other subject. At least I need to seek out a less controversial subject than these Eastern carpenter bees. I have tossed bits of paper past a hovering bee and observed it chase after the paper for half a second. I cannot be convinced that it was "attempting to mate" with birds, etc., though a bee will be distracted whenever a bird flies past. PixOnTrax 18:40, 13 February 2007 (UTC)

Here is another blurry image of that female "virginica." I attempted to construct a photograph by pausing a videotape. I was hoping to show a bit of golden hairs aft of its head. The bee ignored me when I told it to say "cheese."

Several weeks ago I had never heard of a "megachile." Someone else decided that that the bee which I believed to be a woodcutter was a "megachile." That is my reason for captioning an image with the word "megachile." I have to go along with the experts.

I must get used to the idea that bumblebees enter my house to fall dead. The wooly "male" died inside of my house. PixOnTrax 18:40, 13 February 2007 (UTC)

First - there is nothing controversial about carpenter bees, you're simply confused, mostly because you do not know how to tell a carpenter bee from other kinds of bee. Second - Please read what I wrote. "They will fly after ANYTHING, because it could turn out to be either a female or a rival". No one EVER said that they attempt to mate with everything that flew past them, simply that they CHECK everything that flies past. If there was a dispenser in your home that released a tin can every hour, and most were empty but every now and then one contained a million dollars, and a few others contained time bombs, you would open every can, wouldn't you? It would not be in your self-interest to ignore them when some are possibly beneficial and others are possibly harmful. Third - the bee in the photo of a Megachile WAS a Megachile, a completely different bee from the ones in these photos. Just because ONE bee you took a photo of was a Megachile does not mean ALL of the bees you've ever taken photos of were Megachile. You simply need to learn how to tell the difference between a Xylocopa, a Megachile, and a Bombus, and things should start making more sense to you. Fourth - bumblebees frequently get into houses through open windows, doors, and especially when they nest underneath the home, or in an attic or garage. Bumblebees will make nests nearly anyplace a mouse will make a nest (they frequently use abandoned mouse nests, in fact). Is there a crawlspace underneath your home? If so, I'll bet there's a bumblebee nest there. Dyanega 23:33, 13 February 2007 (UTC)

This is an image of the first evidence here in 2007; a snapshot taken on May 10, 2007, of a porch railing beneath a hibernaculum.PixOnTrax 16:11, 10 May 2007 (UTC)

May 10, 2007