Subject: Unidentified flying insect
Location: Vacaville, CA
March 25, 2016 8:45 pm
My sister found this bug in her fireplace, March, 2016, in central California. It flew around, and was about an inch long.
Signature: Betty S
Someone has ID’d it for me as a male carpenter bee.
Dear Betty,
We are glad to hear someone identified your male Valley Carpenter Bee. It is possible it emerged from firewood brought indoors. Though female Valley Carpenter Bees are capable of stinging, they seldom do. Males are incapable of stinging.
Daniel,
Thanks for the corroboration. Though no one said it was a Valley Carpenter Bee, just Carpenter Bee, so that’s even better. And yes, my sister found large round holes in firewood she had setting in the living room!
Thanks, again,
Betty