Purple (blue) bumblebee carpenter

The Black Bumblebee is an insect with which residents of Turkey, southern European countries and Ukraine can meet, it is also protected in the reserves of Yalta and Crimea. Usually an individual with blue or rather purple wings is found in the attic rooms under the roofs of residential buildings. There she builds a nest in the rafters and beams, gnawing through the thick channels. Because of this, representatives of this species are often referred to as "tree bumblebee". This article will tell about the peculiarities of the insect and its lifestyle.

Description

Black insect like bumblebee. is a representative of the species of solitary bees of the family Apidae of the subgenus Xylocopa (xylokopa). An individual of this species is of a very large size - the length of its body can reach up to 3 cm. The magnificent pollinator of flowering plants has a blue-black color, and the head and chest have a pronounced metallic luster. On the head of an insect there are quite powerful jaws, thanks to which it is able to gnaw wood. They are especially well developed in females engaged in the construction of nests in wood.

On a note!

Individuals of the female gnaw not only chips, their powerful jaws, they are able to bite off very large pieces of wood.

The main feature of the xylocopes are blue or purple wings. Also, insects are owners of shaggy legs, on which they carry pollen (photo of the blue bumblebee is presented below).

Purple (blue) bumblebee carpenter

On a note!

The velvet black bumblebee, which is referred to as earthy. This is one of the most common insects in our country (photos of the black bumblebee of this species can be seen below).

Like their relatives, the xylocopes have a sting. And the fact that the purple bumblebee bites, had to make sure to many. Bumblebee bite carpenter is very painful and may be accompanied by a strong allergic reaction.

Important!

The bite of a black bumblebee can pose a threat to a person’s life when applied to the neck. Therefore, if a beetle resembling a bumblebee was found, it is preferable to avoid too close contact with it.

Lifestyle

Bumblebee carpenter

From hibernation, adults awaken in the second half of spring. After that, they mate and go in search of a suitable place to arrange the nest.

Dwelling in wooden elements, a purple bumblebee carpenter gnaws quite voluminous labyrinths there, arranging partitions of shredded wood. In the same place insects keep pollen. Having collected its necessary quantity, females start laying eggs.In each cell they lay one egg, leaving there also an edible supply in the form of pollen mass. At the end of this process, the future mother seals the entrance, from which the hatched larvae are forced to develop independently. Outward young offspring is selected after hibernation, turning into adult individuals.

How to get rid

Evidence that the black bumblebee with blue wings gnaws wood, is quite a loud sound. Having found it, many summer residents seek to get rid of the purple bumblebee as soon as possible.

On a note!

However, it should be borne in mind that insects usually live in soft wood. And this fact is evidence of the need to replace the damaged part of the wooden structure.

With black insects do not have to fight, if the elements of wooden structures will be processed and painted. If it was possible to detect holes in a wooden surface, it is necessary to use metal chips, glue or sealant. The process of getting rid of black xylokop will not pose a risk to humans when using personal protective equipment.