Buzzworthy Facts:
- They may look like bumble bees, but carpenter bees have a smooth, shiny black belly with no fuzz. That’s one way to tell them apart!
- Mom Bees use their strong jaws to drill perfectly round holes into dead trees and logs, creating safe tunnel homes for their babies.
- Dad Bees act like security guards, hovering outside the tunnel and chasing away birds and big bugs.
- Dad Bees might buzz right up to your face to look scary, but don’t worry—they don’t have a stinger!
- Carpenter bees don’t build a brand-new tunnel every year. Instead, they clean out their old tunnels and move back in.
- If a flower tube is too long for their tongue, they can poke a hole in the bottom of the flower to sneak out the nectar. This is called nectar robbing!
- When New Mexico weather gets chilly in autumn, carpenter bees huddle up inside their cozy wood tunnels and sleep until spring.
PLANT PARTNER
LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL POLLINATORS:
High Desert Helpers is sponsored through the Trails+ Grant Program by the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division.
