Hobbies And Interests
Features
The carpenter bee has a shiny black abdomen. The bumblebee is hairy all over, and its abdomen is partially yellow.
Social/Solitary
Bumblebees are social or communal bees. The queen has bees that help her take care of the young. Carpenter bees are usually solitary; the female takes care of her own young.
Habitat
Carpenter bees make their nests in wood, preferably untreated softwoods like pine. Bumblebees make their nests on ground level, such as in an abandoned mouse hole.
Reproduction
Adult male and female carpenter bees stay in abandoned nests through winter and come out in April or May to reproduce. After mating, the female will drill a nest within a suitable block of wood. The queen bumblebee is fertilized in late summer. She hibernates through winter before emerging in spring to lay her eggs.
Pests
On the whole, the bumblebee is not considered a pest. The carpenter bee damages doors, roofs and even wood furniture. The female can drill up to four feet to lay her eggs.