Female Carpenter Bee: Outwardly Carpenter Bees look very similar to Bumble Bees, however there are some noticeable differences. Bumble Bees have furry abdomens and Carpenter Bees have...

SMPhotography Loc: Pawleys Island, SC

Outwardly Carpenter Bees look very similar to Bumble Bees, however there are some noticeable differences. Bumble Bees have furry abdomens and Carpenter Bees have shiny, hairless abdomens. Carpenter Bees are solitary and Bumble Bees are social. And only female Carpenter Bees have stingers.

50 images focus stacked in Zerene.

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UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Excellent shot, we do not miss them.

SMPhotography Loc: Pawleys Island, SC

UTMike wrote:

Excellent shot, we do not miss them.

There are several boring holes in the railing of our deck.

phlash46 Loc: Westchester County, New York

Excellent!

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

Great shot and thanks for the ID information

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

SMPhotography wrote:

Outwardly Carpenter Bees look very similar to Bumble Bees, however there are some noticeable differences. Bumble Bees have furry abdomens and Carpenter Bees have shiny, hairless abdomens. Carpenter Bees are solitary and Bumble Bees are social. And only female Carpenter Bees have stingers.

50 images focus stacked in Zerene.

Beyond outstanding image. Amazing capture.
How do you capture and prep them for Zerene stacking?

Manny Jay Loc: Colorado

I like this photo-stacked. It shows more than just the face. Thanks.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

An outstanding set.

SMPhotography Loc: Pawleys Island, SC

PixelStan77 wrote:

Beyond outstanding image. Amazing capture.
How do you capture and prep them for Zerene stacking?

I usually catch them with a butterfly net. I use a "kill jar", just a square Tupperware container with two discs of plaster of paris that I drop ethyl acetate onto. It is an asphyxiant that humanely euthanizes them. The advantage of it over freezing is that their legs do not fold up underneath them.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

SMPhotography wrote:

I usually catch them with a butterfly net. I use a "kill jar", just a square Tupperware container with two discs of plaster of paris that I drop ethyl acetate onto. It is an asphyxiant that humanely euthanizes them. The advantage of it over freezing is that their legs do not fold up underneath them.

Thanks.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

SMPhotography wrote:

Outwardly Carpenter Bees look very similar to Bumble Bees, however there are some noticeable differences. Bumble Bees have furry abdomens and Carpenter Bees have shiny, hairless abdomens. Carpenter Bees are solitary and Bumble Bees are social. And only female Carpenter Bees have stingers.

50 images focus stacked in Zerene.

Great image!!!!

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

Abo

SMPhotography wrote:

Outwardly Carpenter Bees look very similar to Bumble Bees, however there are some noticeable differences. Bumble Bees have furry abdomens and Carpenter Bees have shiny, hairless abdomens. Carpenter Bees are solitary and Bumble Bees are social. And only female Carpenter Bees have stingers.

50 images focus stacked in Zerene.

Awesome.

I've said it before and I'm saying it again;
I'm glad there's no arthropods as big as us.

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

SMPhotography wrote:

I usually catch them with a butterfly net. I use a "kill jar", just a square Tupperware container with two discs of plaster of paris that I drop ethyl acetate onto. It is an asphyxiant that humanely euthanizes them. The advantage of it over freezing is that their legs do not fold up underneath them.

Life is still life - and death is still death.

Toby

SMPhotography wrote:

Outwardly Carpenter Bees look very similar to Bumble Bees, however there are some noticeable differences. Bumble Bees have furry abdomens and Carpenter Bees have shiny, hairless abdomens. Carpenter Bees are solitary and Bumble Bees are social. And only female Carpenter Bees have stingers.

50 images focus stacked in Zerene.

Carpenter bees are amazing creatures. I had a metal mailbox covered with cedar wood about ¾” thick. There were always carpenter bees flying around it and I found a few holes where they had bored into the wood. I sprayed them several times but finally decided to replace the wood. I expected to see tunnels on the metal box side much like the ant tunnels you see in an aquarium “ant farm”. No, both sides of the board were solid and no signs of damage. After I tore the wood apart I heard a buzzing noise coming from a piece of wood about a foot square. I sprayed insect killer in the few holes that I found and then waited for the bees to escape. To my surprise 43 bees crawled out. Unbelievable! I cut the board into pieces and found it was basically a sponge. Heavy damage.
I have since noticed they are drilling into my pergola. I hope I can stop them before it is weakened too much and falls. Anyone with experience with this and a correction please comment.