Framed

Violet Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa violacea).

Framed by the branches :-)

Best viewed Large, On Black (highly recomended!)

 

kingdom: Animalia

phylum: Arthropoda

class: Insecta

order: Hymenoptera

suborder: Apocrita

superfamily: Apoidea

family: Apidae

subfamily: Xylocopinae

 

Really big bees (~25mm long), these jet black pollinators are a sight to behold. When the sun shines on their wings and bodies they reflect a deep violet hue (unfortunately not apparent in this photo). They are called "carpenters" because they dig tunnels in wood to build their nests and also use wood bits to divide cells in there.

 

Click here for more photos of the same species in my photostream.

Done