I recently posted (here) phone photos of a female carpenter bee heading for home. Last week, I returned with my camera to see what they were up to, and I was very happy to see this male bee visiting the same home as the one in the previous post.

Male bees are a lovely orange/brown and are smaller than the females, but still pretty big. Another way they differ is that, while female bees have a stinger but rarely use them, male bees don’t have a stinger at all.

I’ve seen a few male bees before, but this is the first time I’ve been able to get photos.

I was at Lapakahi, after a swim, and walked to the lookout there, to see what was happening in the water. As I stood there, a Sonoran Carpenter Bee rumbled towards me and flew back and forth in my vicinity. It was quickly joined by a second bee, coming from the opposite direction.

They weren’t exactly bothering me, but they were persistent, so I took a step or two backwards. This seemed to satisfy one of the bees and I saw it head to one of the wooden rails and disappear. I realized what was going on. I was too close to their homes.

I didn’t have my camera, but got my phone out, located the home of the second bee and took a couple of photos. These female carpenter bees drill tidy holes into any kind of wood to deposit food and lay eggs there.

Eventually, the second bee was satisfied I wasn’t a threat. I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to capture her making, dare I say it, a beeline for home!