This male Xylocopa varipunctata spent some quality time nectaring at milkweed on another recent gloomy afternoon. It's been my experience that these guys rarely settle while they are out flying, and I'm wondering if our relentless cool cloudy weather 1) slowed this guy's flight speed down because he was cold and/or 2) necessitated his feeding during this cool cloudy afternoon because of prolonged restricted feeding opportunities due to our persistent cool cloudy weather.
6 comments:
Wow, what a shot. I'm not sure that I have ever seen a carpenter bee.
Lovely photos! I guess that's the problem with common names- I thought the carpenter bee was larger than a bumblebee and had a shiny black body! Posted a photo of one on my blog a few weeks ago.
The female of this species is shiny black with a coppery tinge to her wings. Both sexes are large . . . 3/4 to 1 inch, slightly larger than our local bumblebees. This boy was about an inch in length I'd say.
Hi, I wish to inquire with you to see if I may purchase any stagmomantis californica nymphs or ootheca from you. I rasied this species indoors for over 4 years, after several generations the hatch rates lowered. I have stored two of my ootheca and am wating to hatch them at the same time I get a new bloodline to breed the offspring with. Please let me know if you can provide either nymphs or ootheca. I will pay postage and pay you an amount you request per nymph or ootheca. Thank you in advance!
neat! thanks for the entomology lesson! this has to be one of my favorite blogs...
Sarah: I couldn't offer you any stock since the mantids breed wild in the garden and often I don't know where the ootheca are, or IF they are. I don't have any experience shipping live stock and would be afraid of killing them in transit. I appreciate your interest in the species.
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