Xylocopa micans

Xylocopa micans
Female nectaring on Funastrum clausum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Genus: Xylocopa
Species:
X. micans
Binomial name
Xylocopa micans
(Lepeletier, 1841)
The range of Xylocopa micans.
Synonyms[1]

Xylocopa vidua Lepeletier
Xylocopa purpurea Cresson
Xylocopa binotata Maidl

Xylocopa micans, also known as the southern carpenter bee, is a species of bee within Xylocopa, the genus of carpenter bees. The southern carpenter bee can be found mainly in the coastal and gulf regions of the southeastern United States, as well as Mexico and Guatemala.[2] Like all Xylocopa bees, X. micans bees excavate nests in woody plant material. However, unlike its sympatric species Xylocopa virginica, X. micans has not been found to construct nest galleries in structural timbers of building, making it less of an economic nuisance to humans.[3] Carpenter bees have a wide range of mating strategies between different species. The southern carpenter bee exhibits a polymorphic mating strategy, with its preferred method of mating changing as the season progresses from early spring to mid summer.[4] Like most bees in its genus, the southern carpenter bee is considered a solitary bee because it does not live in colonies.[5]

  1. ^ Ackerman, Arthur J. (1916-09-01). "The Carpenter-Bees of the United States of the Genus Xylocopa". Journal of the New York Entomological Society 24 (3): 196–232.
  2. ^ Hurd, Paul D. Jr. (1961-12-01). "A Synopsis of the Carpenter Bees Belonging to the Subgenus Xylocopoides Michener (Hymenoptera; Apoidea)". Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 87 (4): 247–257. JSTOR 25077825.
  3. ^ Warriner, Michael D. (2010). "A Range Extension for the Large Carpenter Bee Xylocopa micans (Hymenoptera: Apidae) with Notes on Floral and Habitat Associations". Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society. 83 (3): 267–269. doi:10.2317/jkes0910.14.1.
  4. ^ Leys, Remko; Hogendoorn, Katja (2008-01-01). "Correlated evolution of mating behaviour and morphology in large carpenter bees (Xylocopa)" (PDF). Apidologie. 39 (1): 119–132. doi:10.1051/apido:2007044. ISSN 0044-8435.
  5. ^ "Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet: Carpenter Bees, HYG-2074-06". ohioline.osu.edu. Retrieved 2015-10-14.