Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa, Anthophoridae, Hymenoptera) on hybrid "Waverly Sage" (Salvia "Waverly", Lamiaceae)
This is a large black Carpenter Bee (genus Xylocopa, family Anthophoridae, order Hymenoptera) working a flower of hybrid "Waverly Sage" (Salvia "Waverly") in the Lamiaceae plant family growing in the garden today. It's doing "nectar theft" - robbing the flower by entering through the base rather than through the throat of the flower so that pollination might happen. If you look at the base of the flower to the right, you can see where other bees have drilled holes into the flowers - again and again! (San Marcos Pass, 4 July 2014)
Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa, Anthophoridae, Hymenoptera) on hybrid "Waverly Sage" (Salvia "Waverly", Lamiaceae)
This is a large black Carpenter Bee (genus Xylocopa, family Anthophoridae, order Hymenoptera) working a flower of hybrid "Waverly Sage" (Salvia "Waverly") in the Lamiaceae plant family growing in the garden today. It's doing "nectar theft" - robbing the flower by entering through the base rather than through the throat of the flower so that pollination might happen. If you look at the base of the flower to the right, you can see where other bees have drilled holes into the flowers - again and again! (San Marcos Pass, 4 July 2014)