ID Required: Carpenter or Bumble Bee?

[espion]

 

[vespa_bicolor]

A male of Xylocopa latipes, the largest carpenter bee in Singapore.

I believe true bumblebees are not found locally, as most are temperate species and in the tropics occur only in mountainous areas.

Cheers,

 

[espion]

Thanks!

What are these then? Are they not "true" bumble bees?

 

[vespa_bicolor]

That's one of the smaller species of carpenter bee, Xylocopa confusa. The female is black with a yellow thorax, the male all yellowish (see the link below).

http://forum.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=208948

 

[vespa_bicolor]

Another species of carpenter bee, possibly one of the rarest local species, and probably the most beautiful: Xylocopa caerulea (see link below)

http://flickr.com/photos/melvynyeo/259804982/in/set-72157594528940277/

True bumblebees are covered with thick fur. An example below:

http://vespa-bicolor.net/main/social-bees/bombus-eximius.htm

 

[night86mare]

Another species of carpenter bee, possibly one of the rarest local species, and probably the most beautiful: Xylocopa caerulea (see link below)

http://flickr.com/photos/melvynyeo/259804982/in/set-72157594528940277/

Hehe, that's a very cute photo!

Blue colour, hrm. I think the yellow streaked one that espion has posted is pretty cute already! =D

Haven't seen the blue one though. Only those really fat and big black ones.

 

[espion]

Another species of carpenter bee, possibly one of the rarest local species, and probably the most beautiful: Xylocopa caerulea (see link below)

http://flickr.com/photos/melvynyeo/259804982/in/set-72157594528940277/

Seen this once, I think. Is it this, or its yet another species:

 

[espion]

That's one of the smaller species of carpenter bee, Xylocopa confusa. The female is black with a yellow thorax, the male all yellowish (see the link below).

http://forum.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=208948

Thats the male of the yellow one?!

They look so different. The male is bigger, hairier and without any trace of black. I had once thot its a hoverfly.

 

[vespa_bicolor]

Seen this once, I think. Is it this, or its yet another species:

That's a blue-banded bee, Amegilla sp, related to carpenter bees but nests individually underground.

Yes indeed, for the smaller carpenter bee, male and female look different, and the male circles his territory, hovering frequently. Would love to shoot one of those, but I have never been able to approach with my 90mm lens!

 

[vespa_bicolor]

Hehe, that's a very cute photo!

Blue colour, hrm. I think the yellow streaked one that espion has posted is pretty cute already! =D

Haven't seen the blue one though. Only those really fat and big black ones.

Yup, very cute indeed! By the way, that's not my photo. One has to be very lucky to catch sight of this blue species, let alone to photograph one! It's usually confined to forested areas, so it isn't as easy to see as the other two. I haven't been so fortunate myself!