Peacock Carpenter Bee in the Southern Downs

Southern Downs BeesSouthern Downs Native Bees Amphylaeus obscuriceps Exoneura sp Homalictus urbanus Hylaeus euxanthus Hylaeus ruficeps ruficeps Lasioglossum lanarium Leioproctus xanthosus Megachile deanii Lipotriches gracilipes Peacock Carpenter Bee Red Singer

Xylocopa (Lestis) aeratus, also commonly known as the Metallic Green Carpenter Bee and the Peacock Carpenter Bee photographed here in Ballandean on Wisteria.

This bee was just sitting on the flower and I even got her on my hand without her flying away. My theory is that there is not enough nectar for them to have the energy to fly. This is supported by the fact that we have seen a couple of dead ones over the last few weeks and there has been little flowering. At least we have a few flowers now Eucalyptus leucoxylon, White wings Grevillea, Honeysuckle and Melaleuca.

The drought is biting and there is a continuous drone of planes attending to our current bushfire.
Author Marc Newman

We saw an unprecedented number of these in Spring (September). The weather presumably caused many to emerge early and I saw ~5 on my Eucalyptus leucoxylon in mid April. They looked brand new with untattered wings. They were very sluggish and a number roosted overnight on the flowers. This photo was taken on a lemon flower (a second flowering I think) and yes I could get close but they were more active than the leucoxylon ones. The weather has certainly caused some strange behaviour.
Author Marc Newman