Subject: Big Brown Bee by Orange Tree
Location: Sherman Oaks, CA
March 13, 2013 6:31 pm
Hello,
I noticed about 5 of these big brown bees flying in and around my orange tree with is starting to bud.
I’ve been living at this location for 3 years and have never seen this bug here or ever before.
Is it even a bee?
I live in the san fernando valley in southern California. Los Angeles County.
It seems to be about an inch in length. Orangish-brown in color and buzzes like a bee.
Let me know what you think.
Thanks
Signature: Rory Ambron
Dear Rory,
You are absolutely correct that this is a Bee, and more specifically, it is a male Valley Carpenter Bee. Valley Carpenter Bees exhibit sexual dimorphism, meaning that the male and female look very different from one another. The male is a lovely golden color with green eyes and the female is larger and black with black wings. The female excavates a gallery for her brood in dead wood, and it is reported that Valley Carpenter Bees can do considerable damage over the years to telephone poles if they are plentiful.