The Carpenter Bee

The best way to tell the difference between a bumble bee and a carpenter bee is to look at their abdomen. Bumble bees have a fuzzy abdomen and the Carpenter Bee has a shiny abdomen. Carpenter bees are either yellow and black or blue-black. They are very common in the Spring Mountains, Nevada. They are non-aggressive busy little fellows. I have never been stung by one and I have followed and “bugged” many to take their picture. I took this one above Big Falls in July 2007.