Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/fuzzy-blue-bee/

Most of us are accustomed to seeing yellow and black bees as they go about their business. What we may not realize is that these actually come in many different colors, including green, purple, black, white, ginger, and blue.

When we focus on the blue bee, we see that it is truly a unique creature. Blue insects are few and far between, so it’s impressive that the blue carpenter bee is such a beauty. In order to see one, you will have to travel to a part of the world in Southeast Asia, India, or Southern China.

European honeybees, which are a common species found in other parts of the world, are about 17 mm long. Blue carpenter bees, on the other hand, may be up to 28 mm, so they are quite big by comparison. Even though they have a larger size, they tend to be nonaggressive and live solitary lives.

Many male insects and animals tend to be more vibrant, but the female blue carpenter bee carries the bright blue color. Interestingly, the females also have a stinger but the males, which tend to be brown, do not have a stinger.

Carpenter bees are also rather unique in that they don’t live in a complex hives with possibly thousands of other bees. They live solitary lives, burrowing into trees and making a nest where they live alone.

Like other honeybees, carpenter bees also make honey, but it tends to be thicker, similar to peanut butter in consistency. They use that honey to create a “bee bread” after mixing it with pollen. It is used to coat the floor of the wooden chamber where they live. It is also food for the eggs, and after laying eggs on the mixture, they seal things up to keep the young ones safe.

[embedded content]
Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog