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Valley Carpenter BeeWhat bug would make this hole?
Hi,
I live in Southern California. Over the weekend, I noticed sawdust on a bougainvillea plant in my backyard. It runs along a concrete wall that borders my neighbors property. The sawdust was the result of these perfectly round, pencil erasure sized holes which have been recently dug into the plant. What bug would do this? Thanks,
Chuck
Hi Chuck,
This is the nest of a Valley Carpenter Bee. The large black female bee makes and provisions the nest. The male bee is a lovely golden color. The Valley Carpenter Bee is an important native pollinating species, and the presence of this nest will not do any lasting harm to your bougainvillea.
Thank you so much for your informative reply. I am pleased your site exists. In explaining the harmlessness of this important native pollinator, you have helped me from making a grave, unnecessary mistake of adding a systemic poison to my bougainvillea the way a member of the Home Depot gardening staff suggested to protect it from “wood boring beetles”. I’m glad I had the presence of mind to contact you but I am more pleased at your willingness to share your expertise on this subject and the timeliness of your answer. Thanks again,
Chuck
Monrovia, CA
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