Valley carpenter bee , bee big , Mamangaba (Xylocopa varipuncta)

Xylocopa varipuncta, the valley carpenter bee, is one of three species of carpenter bee found from western New Mexico to southern California. Females are a metallic black while males are fuzzy and gold with green eyes. They are the largest bees found in California, growing to around 1 inch (2.5 cm) in length. A distinguishing characteristic that uniquely separates X. varipuncta from other species of bees is their ability to thermoregulate. This allows them to fly at very high temperatures without overheating and at low temperatures without freezing. By modifying their foraging patterns and flying between different altitudes depending upon temperature, the valley carpenter bee is able to adapt to very different environments through predisposed behavioral patterns. X. varipuncta is the largest native bee species alongside the bumble queens and are found in a diverse range of ecosystems from subtropical to temperate.[4] The name "carpenter" comes from the fact that these bees have developed a habit of excavating inside a variety of woods. Like its close neighbor, Xylocopa virginica, X. varipuncta like to reside in fence posts and structural timbers and form small nests.Additionally, these large, hairy bees are named for the Central Valley in which they are commonly found, and for their ability to burrow into, and make their nests in, hardwood and telephone poles.With 31 subgenera and 500 species identified under the Xylocopa genus, these sets of bees are large not only in size, but in numbers as well. Since the Xylocopa genus have varying body sizes (polymorphism) and mating systems differ across certain species, it is difficult to pinpoint the relationships among varying species.