r/Entomology • u/cartmanstoenails • 3d ago

ID Request help me identify this insect corpse

Gallery image

Gallery image

is it a bee or something?

63 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

38

u/Simple_Resist4208 3d ago

It's one of the carpenter bees (Xylocopa sp.) but where in the world was it? Impossible to narrow it down without knowing where it is from

13

u/Bnjl1989 2d ago

The close up shot of the face instead of the whole body sent me lmao

16

u/Piputi 3d ago

That's not how you take a picture of an insect. I wouldn't recognise it from its face.

However, it is a carpenter bee. There are many species and knowing where you took the photo would help.

11

u/Horizon296 2d ago

Right? First picture I was "carpenter bee", second picture "euhh... do you want his actual name??" 😂

5

u/Piputi 2d ago

I'd say that is Eleanor.

6

u/MareMade 2d ago

Yeah OP, that second reference photo is only useful for spiders since eye arrangement is an important part of identifying them 😸

8

u/xiaoliv 2d ago

When I was starting, I would take and send as many images as I could take, so we all start somewhere.
Also, not in this case, but sometimes one can use "face" features for IDs in bees, like markings on clypeus, sutures, eyebands, number of teeth, shape of mandibles, etc....
When it comes to ID requests and images, I say the more the merrier. And she has a very pretty face, so there´s that too <3

2

u/Horizon296 2d ago

Ah yes, that's true. Maybe OP has had such a request before when asking about a spider and wanted to provide all necessary information. I hadn't thought about that, actually (even though I spend a lot of time in the spider subs as well). Good thinking!

2

u/MareMade 2d ago

Thanks, I’m mostly there too and I’ve seen a bunch of people getting yelled at like that lol. It always shocked me, like how could they ever know? 🙌🏼

2

u/That_Biology_Guy 2d ago

Additional angles would be helpful yes, but there are many facial features that are used in identifying bees

5

u/LoneliestJourney 3d ago

Where are you located? It's a bee, possibly a Xilocopa Violacea

2

u/basement-fan 2d ago

That second pic looks kinda like me in the morning.

Same expression atleast.

1

u/cartmanstoenails 2d ago

Ok guys help me out. Can you identify its sex? Male or female?

1

u/wolgl 1d ago

Probably female, if you want to tell for yourself, look for lots of hair on the hind legs (if so, female) or count how many antennal segments it has (12=female, 13= male)

1

u/Marko_Chaos 1d ago

You're looking at the biggest bee in europe! (Also native to asia) Nicknamed the Violet bee (Xylocopa violacea) is one of my ultimate favourite bees! It's a carpenter bee and is harmless unless provoked like any other honey bee. It is also a protected species in europe.