Since photographing these bees, I've learned that it's very difficult to differentiate between the violet carpenter bee (Xylocopa violacea) & the splay-footed one (X. valga), hence the fuzzy ID here.

And I should point out that this is a macro stack of two shots, one for the in-focus antennae, & the other for everything else.

And although this picture of another carpenter bee is nothing like as crisp overall, I can't resist sharing it too.

Not only does it illustrate the wings in their full metallic violet-blue glory, but it also captures a fleeting moment of garden drama, as a small spider crawls on the bee's head & a honey bee cruises in from behind.

It just goes to show how big the carpenter bees are 🙀

#Photography 📷
#BugOfTheDay 🪰
#MacroPhotography 🔬
#InsectsOfMastodon 🕸️
#BackGardenEntomology 🪲