Large, colorful bee-like bug; what is it?
Location: Silver Lake, Los Angeles, CA
November 8, 2010 2:03 pm
Hi! A friend found this bug in his yard, and brought it over for me to look at. It looks like something that hitched a ride from another continent. I’ve also posted the photos on our bee blog:
http://beehuman.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-hell-kind-of-bug-is-this.html
Signature: Backwards Beekeepers
Dear Backwards Beekeepers,
After firing back a quick response that this is a male Valley Carpenter Bee, we checked out your website and we are very intrigued. First, a bit more about your bee. Valley Carpenter Bees exhibit pronounced sexual dimorphism. The females are large black bees with black wings that live rather long. The short lived males are a pretty golden yellow color with green eyes. They are more active and have a shorter season. The male in your photo does not look normal. Perhaps he has neared the end of his life. Since we are neighbors, we may try to attend your next meeting: When: Sunday, November 21st at 11am. Where: Under Spring outdoor space at Farmlab in downtown L.A.