Xylocopa caerulea

{{Speciesbox

| image = Apidae - Xylocopa caerulea.JPG

| image_caption = Xylocopa caerulea from Penang. Museum specimen

| genus = Xylocopa

| species = caerulea

| authority = Fabricius, 1804

}}

Xylocopa caerulea, or the blue carpenter bee, is a species of carpenter bee.

Description

Xylocopa caerulea is a relatively large species, reaching an average size of {{convert|23|mm|in}}. The species is sexually dimorphic, with the thorax region of the females having striking blue color and the male's thorax looking more brownish green.{{Cite web |last=Mylne |first=Lee |date=2025-04-10 |title=Journey to the heart of the outback with APT |url=https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/travel/2025/04/journey-to-the-heart-of-the-outback-with-apt/ |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=Australian Geographic |language=en-US}} The sides of the abdomen and first abdominal segments are also covered by a similar, albeit finer and thinner coat of blue hairs.Bingham, Charles Thomas, and Claude Morley. Hymenoptera... Vol. 1. Taylor & Francis, 1897.{{Page needed|date=July 2019}}Ospina, Mónica. "Abejas carpinteras (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Xylocopinae: Xylocopini) de la región neotropical." Biota Colombiana 1.3 (2012): 239-252.{{cite journal|last1=Anzenberger|first1=Gustl|title=Ethological Study of African Carpenter Bees of the Genus Xylocopa (Hymenoptera, Anthophoridae)1|journal=Zeitschrift für Tierpsychologie|volume=44|issue=4|year=2010|pages=337–374|issn=0044-3573|doi=10.1111/j.1439-0310.1977.tb01001.x|pmid=563151}}

File:Xylocopa Caerulea.jpg

Distribution

This species is widely distributed in Southeast Asia, India and Southern China.{{Cite web|url=http://vespa-bicolor.net/main/solitary-bees/xylocopa-caerulea.htm|title=Untitled Document|website=vespa-bicolor.net}}

Behavior

Xylocopa caerulea will burrow into trees to make their nests. They usually are solitary, but sometimes multiple bees will share a common entry hole. They create honey which is mixed with pollen to create ambrosia or bee bread. This species will place the bee bread in a wooden chamber which they then lay their eggs on top of. The bee bread serves as a food source for their larvae.