Bug FAQValley Carpenter Bee
Xylocopa sonorina · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Apidae
Also called: Hawaiian Carpenter Bee, Sonoran Carpenter Bee
Source: Wikipedia
They nest by boring tunnels in wood, which can harm houses and other wooden items.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
They grow to about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, making them among the largest bees in California and Hawaii.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
They bore into wood to make nest galleries, which can damage structures and furniture.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
They are found mainly in valleys and foothills where oak-dominated deciduous trees grow.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Females stock each brood cell with bee bread, a mix of pollen and nectar, to feed the larvae.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
In spring, females mate, then either start new nests or enlarge old winter tunnels, adding brood cells. Both male and female adults hibernate in the tunnels during winter.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Mating and nest building occur in spring after the bees emerge from winter hibernation.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Their range extends from western Texas through northern California to the eastern Pacific islands.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 8 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Hawaii, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Washington.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Can they damage my house?
Yes, they excavate tunnels in wood, which can harm wooden structures and furniture.
Source: Wikipedia
How big are they?
They are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, one of the largest bees in the region.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I tell male from female?
Females are black; males are golden-brown with green eyes.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Apidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylocopa_sonorina
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.