Sonoran Carpenter Bee (Nov. 16)
When we first arrived at the Wailea Elua condos, there were a couple trees with large purple flowers near the parking area and I could see orange butterflies and large black bees visiting them. They were too high to get decent photos.
Luckily, I had some time to wander the gardens and discovered this bee that was very intent on collecting nectar from just one flower head on this plant right at my level so I was able to get decent photos. I was able to take many photos and managed to get a few of her slitting the tube to rob its nectar. Also got a decent video of it.
John Ascher did the ID and it seems to be a native Hawaiian bee, which made me very happy.
Observations
Photos / Sounds
What
Valley Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa sonorina)Observer
wenatcheebDescription
Black with copper-brown wings. Seemed to have pointed tongue which it used to slit the base of these tube flowers to steal nectar. Has 3 submarginal cells, one nearest wing nearly oval and central one nearly triangle shaped.
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