Sunday 30 November 2008

Violet Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa violacea)

OTHER NAMES: European Carpenter Bee, Carpenter Bee
Latin Etymology: Xylocopa ("Woodcutter") violacea ("violet")
Adult Violet Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa violacea) at El Pardo, Spain - April 2016

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Length: 25mm  /  Wingspan: 65mm
NO UK STATUS IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

The violet carpenter bee is one of the largest bee species of Europe - dwarfing the species found regularly in the UK.  It is named for it's big iridescant wings which make it a very distinctive species.  A common resident in Spain, it is also beginning to become established in the UK.  The carpenter bee family is also notable for having the largest eggs of any insect, although the violet carpenter bee is not the largest.

Related Species:
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Genus: Xylocopa
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -
SPAIN - Spanish - Abejorro Carpintero Europeo ("European Carpenter Bumblebee")
Common to locally abundant resident
 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: Common at Patones
 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Fairly common throughout, particularly noted at El Pardo

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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