what do you call a large size black bee that usually fly alone in a garden?

Carpenter bees -- also called wood bees -- resemble bumblebees but are not as dangerous to humans even though they can damage wooden structures.

Many people think they have stinging bumblebees when they see large, black bees hovering in the air near wooden buildings. These probably are not bumblebees but male carpenter bees, also called wood bees. Male carpenter bees do not have stingers, but the females do.

The good news is that the female bee "must be extremely provoked (i.e. handled) before she will sting," according to the Penn State entomology department. The bad news is that female carpenter bees carve circular holes as entrances to tunnels they excavate inside unpainted wood.

Carpenter bees usually have a small band of yellow around their heads, but their abdomens (the large rear part of the body) are smooth and shiny and virtually all black. Bumblebees' abdomens are usually not shiny and have a large band of yellow or white hairs. Also, while carpenter bees nest in their tunnels in wood, bumblebees build their nests in burrows in the ground.

Therefore, if you see a large, shiny, black bee hovering near a wooden structure, especially one with bee-sized, circular holes, it is almost certainly a carpenter bee. However, if you see a somewhat similar, large, yellow-banded bee hovering continuously over an area of ground away from wood, it is likely to be a bumble bee. Avoid it.

It is the male of both these bee species that hovers. He is protecting the nest from intruders and will chase away any flying creature, including butterflies and tiny gnats. He may also try to chase away humans. Carpenter bees may bump up against you, presumably hoping to scare you away. If you're sure they are carpenter bees, you can ignore them.

If you're not sure which species of bee you are dealing with, stay away from them and certainly keep children away from them. If you have to go near either bee, move slowly and do not wave your hands in the air. Both species will respond aggressively to rapid movements.

Both carpenter bees and bumblebees are useful animals, especially as pollinators of many types of plants. They often are as effective for this purpose as the honey bee that seems to be disappearing from so many parts of the world, as, incidentally, are bumblebees. However, carpenter bees and bumblebees do not produce honey.

Hope this helps.

'av'a g'day mate.

'')

Is that the same as a Mason Bee? One way to pollinate your veggies is with Mason Bees ..250 mason bees do the work of 20,000 honey bees It takes only 3 mason bees to pollinate an entire apple tree, these truly are the work horses of the garden. Check out GoodRiddanceFarm.com or on Etsy ... no honey, rarely sting

Its called a Carpenter Bee, they are very common here where I live in California. They are solitary and don't work In groups, or have a hive, they are all Independent. They can damage your trees since they create holes in them, and also getting stung by a carpenter bee is really no different than getting stung by any other bee.

I think that would be a cicada. You will hear them, in the fall of the year, making a very high pitched noise. If you look around on tree trunks you'll see empty shells where they've moulted. My mother always said when you hear the first cicada scream it will be six weeks until the first frost. You should be hearing them soon. They can also lay dormant under ground for seven years. Last year was supposed to be a bumper crop for them