Name of the Assignment
Xylocopa Sp around the world
Introduction
The genus Xylocopa (in the subfamily Xylocopinae) is commonly known as ‘Carpenter Bees’ and one of the large bees distributed worldwide. It consists near about 500 species in 31 subgenera. The word ‘carpenter’ comes from the fact that nearly all of its species use dead wood, bamboo, or structural timbers to build their nest. Associated members of the related tribe Ceratinini are often referred to as ‘small carpenter bees’.
Taxonomy
In 1802, the genus was described by French entomologist Pierre André Latreille. The name was derived from the ancient Greek word xylokopos which had a meaning of ‘wood-cutter’.
Characteristics
The females of several species live along with their own daughters or sisters and create a small social group. They employ wood bits to form partitions between chambers in the nest. But some species are not interested in making holes in wood dwellings.
Although many species are known to rob nectar by slitting the sides of flowers with deep corollas, the species of Xylocopa can be important pollinators on open-faced flowers.
In the United States, there are two eastern species: Xylocopa virginica and Xylocopa micans. On the other hand, Xylocopa varipuncta, Xylocopa tabaniformis orpifex and Xylocopa californica are the names of three other species that are primarily western by distribution. X. virginica is a widely distributed species. Some species are often mistaken for a bumblebee species because they are similar in size and coloration. Most Xylocopa species have a shiny abdomen, while all bumblebees have an abdomen completely clothed with dense hair. Males usually have a white or yellow face. They also have larger eyes than the females which relates to their mating behavior. However, males are harmless because they do not have sting, while the females can be cruel when attacked or provoked.
Behavior
Xylocopa species are traditionally considered solitary bees. But some species have simple social nests in which mothers and daughters may cohabit. However, solitary species can be social, and often several of them will nest near each other. It has been occasionally reported that there may be a division of labor between them when females cohabit- where one female spend most of her time as a guard near the entrance and the other female spends time inside the nest.
Xylocopa species make their nests by tunneling into wood and vibrating their bodies as they scratch against the wood. Each nest has a single entrance which may have many adjacent tunnels. The entrance is often a circular hole of 16 mm diameter. The species do not eat wood. They discard the bits of wood or re-use them. The eggs are usually large compared to the size of the female. These eggs are also considered largest among all the insects.
Descriptions of some common examples of Xylocopa species
1. Xylocopa aeratus
The Xylocopa aeratus is one of two species of Xylocopa found in the Sydney region of New South Wales in Australia. It gets its common name by its habit of burrowing into wood.
This species are metallic green in color. They may also appear in purplish or bluish from some angles. They have low-pitched buzzing sound while flying between flowers. The male has yellow face having a sting that can cause pain.
Fig 1: Xylocopa aeratus
2. Xylocopa bombylans
The Xylocopa bombylans is a species of carpenter bee found mainly in Australia. It gets its common name by its habit of burrowing into wood.
Fig 2: Xylocopa bombylans
3. Xylocopa latipes
The Xylocopa latipes is a species of carpenter bee widely distributed throughout Southeast Asia. As its name suggests, this bee inhabits forests in warm tropical climates and constructs nests by burrowing into wood. It often makes long deep tunnels in fallen trees, telephone poles but do not found living in trees.
The tropical carpenter bee is a very large solitary bee. It is shiny, fully black in colour with fmetallic blue-green or purple wings in sunlight. This species is probably known as the largest among the genus Xylocopa.
Fig 3: Xylocopa latipes
4. Xylocopa violacea
Xylocopa violacea is the common European species and one of the largest bees in Europe. Like most members of the genus Xylocopa, it makes its nests in dead wood.
It is not particularly aggressive and will attack only if forced to. Adults undertake hibernation in wood where there are abandoned nest tunnels.
Fig 4: Xylocopa violacea
5. Xylocopa virginica
The Xylocopa virginica is most often encountered in the eastern United States. It is often mistaken for a large bumblebee species because they are similar in size and color.
