What is the Difference Between Bumble Bee and Carpenter Bee

The main difference between bumble bee and carpenter bee is that the bumble bee has a hairy abdomen with some yellow markings whereas the carpenter bee has a bare, shiny black abdomen. Furthermore, bumble bees are social and they build nests together while carpenter bees are primarily solitary.

Bumblebee and carpenter bee are two types of bees active with the warmth in the spring. Both are large bees with a similar appearance.

Key Areas Covered

1. Bumblebee
     – Definition, Characteristics, Behavior
2. Carpenter Bee
     – Definition, Characteristics, Behavior
3. What are the Similarities Between Bumblebee and Carpenter Bee
     – Outline of Common Features
4. What is the Difference Between Bumblebee and Carpenter Bee
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Bumblebee, Carpenter Bee, colouration, Hairy Abdomen, Nesting, Queen, Solitary

Bumblebee – Definition, Characteristics, Behavior

Bumblebee is a fuzzy-looking bee whose body is covered with soft tiny hairs called pile. It belongs to the genus Bombus. There are around 250 species of bumblebees. These bees have a black colour body with contrasting yellow colour strips, which help them to repel predators. They collect nectar to feed their queen and the young. They live in mild climates.

Figure 1: Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

Bumblebees are social bees that use vibrations to communicate with each other. They chase each other while diving around. These bees live in colonies with 50-100 working bees headed by a queen. The whole colony will die except the queen by the end of the summer. Then, the queen burrows another nest underground to start a new colony. This means although the queen can live for a year, her workers can only live for a few months.

Carpenter Bee – Definition, Characteristics, Behavior

Carpenter bee is another type of large bee active at the beginning of the spring. It belongs to the genus Xylocopa. Their abdomen is smooth and has a greenish-black colour. Due to their ability to burrow into the wood by their sharp teeth for nesting, these bees are called carpenter bees. Carpenter bees have a short tongue, which helps to feed on open-faced flowers.

Figure 2: Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica)

Carpenter bees are solitary bees who search for food and mating partners during the summer. Female carpenter bees burrow nests to lay eggs. The young bees will stay with their mother until their maturity, feeding on pollen. The young bees come out in the late summer as adults. Only female carpenter bees can sting.

Similarities Between Bumble Bee and Carpenter Bee

• Bumblebee and carpenter bee are two types of large bees active in the spring.
• They belong to the family Apidae.
• Also, both have a similar appearance.
• And, both collect nectar from flowers.

Difference Between Bumble Bee and Carpenter Bee

Definition

Bumblebee refers to a large hairy social bee which flies with a loud hum, living in small colonies in holes underground while carpenter bee refers to a large solitary black bee with purplish wings, which nests in tunnels bored in dead wood or plant stems. Thus, this is the main

Genus

Also, the genus of bumblebee is Bombus while the genus of carpenter bee is Xylocopa.

Colour

An easily identifiable difference between bumble bee and carpenter bee is that the bumble bee has a hairy abdomen and contrasting yellow colour bands while carpenter bee has a hairless, shiny, black colour abdomen.

Size

Also, the size of a bumblebee is ¾ to 1 inches while the size of the carpenter bee is 1/4 to 1 inches.

Tongue

Furthermore, bumblebee has a long tongue, which can lap up nectar from funnel-shaped flowers while carpenter bee has a short tongue, which can lap up open-faced flowers.

Behavior

Bumblebee is a social bee while the carpenter bee is a solitary bee. This is another important difference between bumble bee and carpenter bee. 

Stinging

Besides, bumblebee can sting repeatedly while only the female carpenter bee can sting.

Nesting

Moreover, bumblebee burrows the ground for nests while carpenter bee makes nests in the wood. This is also a major difference between bumble bee and carpenter bee. 

Conclusion

Bumblebee is a large, social bee with a characteristic hairy abdomen with yellow strips. Carpenter bee is another large but solitary bee with a bare, black coloured abdomen. Both are active at the beginning of the spring. Bumblebee builds nests underground while carpenter bee builds nests in wood. The main difference between bumble bee and carpenter bee is their colouration, behavior, and nesting.

Reference:

1. Bradford, Alina. “Facts About Bumblebees.” LiveScience, Purch, 13 Jan. 2017, Available Here
2. “Carpenter Bees.” Department of Entomology, Penn State University, Available Here

Image Courtesy:

1. “Bumblebee October 2007-3a” By Alvesgaspar – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia  
2. “Carpenter bee” By Daniel Schwen – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia