Posts Tagged: nectar robbing

How a 'Bear' Can Outsmart a Fox

There's a way for a bear to outsmart a fox. A teddy bear bee, that is.  We just witnessed a male Valley carpenter bee,...

A male valley carpenter bee, Xylocopa sonorina, engaging in nectar robbing; he's sipping nectar through a hole in the base of a foxglove blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male valley carpenter bee, Xylocopa sonorina, engaging in nectar robbing; he's sipping nectar through a hole in the base of a foxglove blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Ah, sweet nectar. This male Valley carpenter bee lingers a bit to sip the sweet reward. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Ah, sweet nectar. This male Valley carpenter bee lingers a bit to sip the sweet reward. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Close-up of male Valley carpenter bee, "the teddy bear beer," engaged in nectar robbing. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Close-up of male Valley carpenter bee, "the teddy bear beer," engaged in nectar robbing. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Short Cut

We all take shortcuts. We look for the shortest line at the supermarket, we use keyboard shortcuts, and we text ”how r u?” So, why...

A honey bee sipping nectar from a hole drilled by a carpenter bee on a foxglove. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee sipping nectar from a hole drilled by a carpenter bee on a foxglove. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Valley carpenter bee about to drill a hole. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Valley carpenter bee about to drill a hole. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Two Nectar Robbers

You've probably seen carpenter bees engage in the practice known as "nectar robbing." Due to their large size, they cannot enter tubelike blossoms...

Carpenter Bee Robbing Nectar

CARPENTER BEE (Xylocopa tabaniformis orpifex) robs nectar from a salvia (sage) by slitting the corolla. A carpenter bee is too big to enter the tubelike blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey Bee Robbing Nectar

A HONEY BEE sips nectar from a corolla pierced by a carpenter bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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