# Need bee identification



## crabjoe (Dec 18, 2015)

Is this a Carpenter Bee, Bumble Bee, or something else?

I know I have Carpenter bees around be because I keep finding holes in the play ground or things made of wood, so I'd like to get rid of them. I don't want to hurt any Bumble Bees.

So what is this thing?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef611


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## crabjoe (Dec 18, 2015)

I still can't tell...

They say this is a Bumble bee.











This is a Carpenter Bee.










The bee I posted looks like some kind of hybrid... I can't tell what these bees that are flying around my flower bed are..


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## Loneranger01 (Jul 11, 2016)

bumble bees are more yellow and looks cute.


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## del schisler (Aug 22, 2010)

crabjoe said:


> Is this a Carpenter Bee, Bumble Bee, or something else?
> 
> I know I have Carpenter bees around be because I keep finding holes in the play ground or things made of wood, so I'd like to get rid of them. I don't want to hurt any Bumble Bees.
> 
> So what is this thing?


looks like a honey bee sure not a bumble bee


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## jimn (Nov 13, 2010)

Sure looks a honey bee. You want to encourage honey bees.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

See if you can get a picture or take a look from above to see if it has a pinch at the waist. From the pictures of the two that appears to be an obvious difference. Not a pro.

Bud


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## crabjoe (Dec 18, 2015)

Unless I've never known what a proper honey bee looks like, these bees are not honey bees.

I'm not around the house, but I'll try and get some more/better pictures..

BTW, when I was younger, I've always thought the bee I'm trying to identify were bumble bees, but I'm really second guessing myself now.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


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## dd57chevy (Jun 21, 2015)

Not sure about Maryland , but here the Bumble-bees are significantly bigger & plumper than other bees . They _also _pack a powerful sting , & are somewhat aggressive if harassed or bothered .

45 years ago , when I was a boy , my Dad attempted to remove a nest from a shed . He killed most of them with chemicals , but I (while barefoot) stepped on a live one & was stung . I can't describe the pain on a family site !


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Hi joe,
I went out back to see if I could get some examples. There were many, but the sun was so bright I could not see my display so was shooting blind and the results were not good. Have to practice my close up picture taking.

Anyway, as you said, what I have always called a bumble bee looks more like what is pictured as a carpenter bee, no tool belt but yellow upper body with that distinctive black dot. Saw many honey bees and that is not what you have, IMO.

For several years there were no honey bees and all we saw were a variety of bee type pollinators, small, medium, and bumble bee size.

A friend's family owns a lumber yard and there was an article a few years ago about how much lumber he lost to carpenter bees. They were turning lifts of pine into swiss cheese. So they can do a lot of damage.

Bud


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## del schisler (Aug 22, 2010)

Bud9051 said:


> Hi joe,
> I went out back to see if I could get some examples. There were many, but the sun was so bright I could not see my display so was shooting blind and the results were not good. Have to practice my close up picture taking.
> 
> Anyway, as you said, what I have always called a bumble bee looks more like what is pictured as a carpenter bee, no tool belt but yellow upper body with that distinctive black dot. Saw many honey bees and that is not what you have, IMO.
> ...


 here is a pic of honey bee sure looks like the one in his picture of first post ?


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## icandousa (Jul 23, 2016)

Don't mean to revive an old thread but for future reference for anyone viewing this thread:

Carpenter bees are most distinguishable by their solid black abdomen (stinger area). I have never seen a carpenter bee with any color abdomen other than black. Bumble bees will have a larger abdomen than honey bees. That picture, if I had to bet, is of a honey bee. I would leave it alone unless it is affecting children playing/pets/etc. Not sure what type of plant that is but I know bees love those purple vine plants that grow berries, if that's what you have there I'd just remove/cut the stem on that plant. Once the bees notice it's no longer living, they'll stop coming to the site to work it.

Also, carpenter bees are distinguishable by having no to little hair on their abdomens as well as a single black dot on their backs. If these bees don't match that characteristic, chances are it's either a honey bee or a bumble bee.

These are usually hardly ever aggressive unless otherwise provoked by posing a danger to their nest/hive or actively attempting to kill them. Many people confuse bees and wasps/hornets/etc. These guys will get aggressive at times by just being of close proximity to their nest or disturbing whatever they're working on. 

One last thing to keep in mind: Often wasps/hornets/rarely bees will chew bare wood as a fiber to utilize in building the paper exterior of a nest. As this is still a nuisance and can damage decks/other exposed wood this does not classify them as carpenter bees


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## crabjoe (Dec 18, 2015)

icandousa,

I know what you're saying... but here's the thing, from what I remember about that specific bee I took a picture of...

Although the abdomen shows yellow and black, it had that distinctive black dot on it's back.. It was like looking at a hybrid.

Now since then, I've been wacking the dickens out those bees, because I know they're carpenter bees.. Solid black abdomen and the black dot... I don't know why, but they are really attracted to those lavender plant flowers. They're also really attracted to my kids play/swing set...


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## del schisler (Aug 22, 2010)

crabjoe said:


> Is this a Carpenter Bee, Bumble Bee, or something else?
> 
> I know I have Carpenter bees around be because I keep finding holes in the play ground or things made of wood, so I'd like to get rid of them. I don't want to hurt any Bumble Bees.
> 
> So what is this thing?


looks like a honey bee


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