''Xylocopa violacea'', the violet carpenter bee, is the common European species of

carpenter bee Carpenter bees are species in the genus ''Xylocopa'' of the subfamily Xylocopinae. The genus includes some 500 bees in 31 subgenera. The common name "carpenter bee" derives from their nesting behavior; nearly all species burrow into hard plant m ...

, and one of the largest bees in Europe. It is also native to

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...

. 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.

Distribution

The range of ''Xylocopa violacea'' extends from Europe eastward across Asia as far as central China, restricted to latitudes above 30 degrees. In

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

, any all-black species of ''Xylocopa'' are referred to by the common name "" (or "" - - in Assamese), and reports and sightings of are commonly misattributed to this species; however, this species is found only in the northern regions of Jammu and Kashmir and

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising a ...

. Most sightings refer to any of several other common black ''Xylocopa'', such as '' X. nasalis'', '' X. tenuiscapa'', or ''X. tranquebarorum''. In 2006, ''Xylocopa violacea'' was reported from

Cardigan, Wales Cardigan ( cy, Aberteifi, ) is both a town and a community in the county of Ceredigion, Wales. Positioned on the tidal reach of the River Teifi at the point where Ceredigion meets Pembrokeshire, Cardigan was the county town of the historic count ...

. In 2007, it was found breeding for the first time in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, in Leicestershire. This follows a northwards expansion of its range in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, and the

Channel Islands The Channel Islands ( nrf, Îles d'la Manche; french: îles Anglo-Normandes or ''îles de la Manche'') are an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two Crown Dependencies: the Bailiwick of Jersey, ...

. In 2010 it was recorded in

Northamptonshire Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It is ...

and

Worcestershire Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see H ...

Description

Violet carpenter bees hibernate overwinter and they emerge in the spring, usually around April or May. Hibernation is undertaken by the adults in wood where there are abandoned nest tunnels. In the late spring or early summer, they may be seen around searching for mates and suitable nesting sites. After mating, the gravid females bore tunnels in dead wood, which is where the name "carpenter bee" comes from, although old nest tunnels may be used. Like other solitary bees, the female creates the nest alone. The eggs are laid within a series of small cells, each of which is supplied with a pollen ball for the larvae to feed upon. The adults emerge in late summer then hibernate until the following year.Carpenter Bees
Buzzaboutbees.net (19 August 2015). Retrieved on 2015-09-28.

Gallery

File:Abeille charpentiere 1024.jpg, Male European carpenter bee File:Bee September 2007-15.jpg, Female European carpenter bee File:Violet carpenter bee (xylocopa violacea).JPG, In

Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, DDCR, is a natural reserve in Dubai (emirate), the emirate of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. It was established by Emiri decree on 9 January 2002 and comprises some 5% of the Emirate of Dubai's total land ...

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia ( The Middle East). It is located at t ...

File:Xylocopa violacea on a flower.jpg, In

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...

File:Jardin des Martels - Abeille - 2016-08-07 - 03.jpg, In Jardins des Martels,

File:European violet carpenter bee.jpg, On a wild

thistle Thistle is the common name of a group of flowering plants characterised by leaves with sharp prickles on the margins, mostly in the family Asteraceae. Prickles can also occur all over the planton the stem and on the flat parts of the leaves ...

in the Cévennes National Park, France File:Marvels of insect life; a popular account of structure and habit (1916) (14593767158).jpg, Cross-section of brood chambers File:Carpenter bee iran.jpg, Queen carpenter bee in IRAN File:Wing of blue carpenter bee.jpg, Wing of the violet carpenter bee under microscope

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Xylocopa Violacea violacea Hymenoptera of Asia Hymenoptera of Europe Insects of the Middle East Insects of Central Asia Insects of Western Asia Fauna of the Iberian Peninsula Insects of Afghanistan Insects of China Insects of Iran Insects of Mongolia Insects of Pakistan Insects of Russia Insects of Turkey Fauna of the British Isles Fauna of England Insects described in 1758 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus