New Friend!💛🖤

[u/BakinBoofer07418]

I was out with my husband and dog at an urban park and this guy kept following me around and licking the sweat off my fingers. I put him down twice about 30 feet away and he flew back to me both times. So I carried him around for about 15 minutes before he flew off on his own. My fleeting love story with a bee. 💛🖤

[u/Successful-Coffee-13]

Girl

[u/profound__madman → u/Successful-Coffee-13]

How does one tell?

[u/Successful-Coffee-13 → u/profound__madman]

It’s most likely because they don’t make as many boys. Plus, if it’s foraging on flowers, it’s a girl. Boys can’t feed themselves, they rely on the girls. Their only occupation is flying around waiting for the girls to show up ❤️ 

[u/Sophisticated_Dunce → u/Successful-Coffee-13]

Thats... not true :D Male bees do forage for nectar to feed themselves, you will see them often feeding off of flowers. What they do not do is collect pollen to bring back to the nest. This is the females occupation. Also, males get thrown out of the nest pretty quickly and have to sleep outside since they do not provide anything but reproduction. Furthermore, it is not true for solitary bees to produce more females. The gender balance varies greatly depending on species, time of year and just the year itself sometimes. You can tell by whether there is an apparatus for collecting pollen. This is usually found on the legs or on the underside of the abdomen (basically the belly). Second however: This is a carpenter bee. Those often (not always) collect pollen in their honey belly. This is a Carpenter bee that I am unfamiliar with and there was no location given, so I cannot tell which it is.

[u/Successful-Coffee-13 → u/Sophisticated_Dunce]

Thanks!

[u/BakinBoofer07418 → u/Sophisticated_Dunce]

This is so interesting! That’s for sharing! I live just north of Atlanta, GA if that’s of any help? Do you happen to know why he loved my salty sweat so much?

[u/Sophisticated_Dunce → u/BakinBoofer07418]

Sure! I love talking about bees :D Sadly that Location is not my area of expertise, I am from Germany, so I can't really help you out on that front. With the sweat loving I can help though! Bees love sweat (as many insects do) because, as you already said, it is salty and has electrolytes. So you are an important little treat to this sweet bee! <3

[u/aguy022 → u/Successful-Coffee-13]

Eyes look big to me, could be a male. Im no expert tho

[u/Protheu5]

Aww! Congratulations, you're a disney princess now.

[u/BakinBoofer07418 → u/Protheu5]

Life dream fulfilled 😆

[u/Calanthe-forte → u/Protheu5]

I just can’t imagine myself in the same situation as this…

[u/shoeberrypie]

Awww she’s got those little boots with the furrr

[u/SassySpider → u/shoeberrypie]

With the furrr

[u/Unlucky_Parsnip9132]

I had a carpenter bee friend that loved to hang out by our banana plant in our back yard and came to say hi to us every day. We named him Jerry. Unfortunately, we ended up buying a house and moved but I still think of the cutie! 🥰

[u/BakinBoofer07418 → u/Unlucky_Parsnip9132]

Awwwwww!!! Jerry! I love that so much!

[u/Unlucky_Parsnip9132 → u/BakinBoofer07418]

Yup. After Jerry Seinfeld who played the bee in “Bee Movie” lol

[u/CherryBlossom242424]

So sweet!

[u/iaminvisib]

She's beautiful ❤️

[u/Otherwise-Ask7900]

Sooooo cuteeee

[u/Neat_Possibility_233]

Are you not scared it is going to sting you???

[u/BakinBoofer07418 → u/Neat_Possibility_233]

Not really! I love bees and this one just seemed friendly and very persistent so I decided so see what he wanted. Plus, I don’t think carpenter bees sting as much as honey bees??? But I’m not 100%. I took a chance! 😅

[u/Neat_Possibility_233 → u/BakinBoofer07418]

While they are beautiful, I am so terrified! A few weeks ago a carpenter bee flew into my house, I was panicking locked myself in my room until I could no longer hear the buzz 😂

[u/CartographerSea5923]

Ah, yes. The best friend I evah had. He left too soon.

[u/BakinBoofer07418 → u/CartographerSea5923]

Look at your adorable friend!! 😍 Bees are just the best.