Xylocope de Virginie

Xylocopa virginica

The eastern carpenter bee is the primary pollinator of purple passionflower: the flower's anthers and stigmas sit on a raised central column at carpenter-bee height, so the bee transfers pollen as it forages. Other insects visit the nectar but contribute little pollination.

The flower's anthers and stigmas sit on a raised central column at large-carpenter-bee height, the same structure that makes carpenter bees (Xylocopa) the effective pollinators of passionflowers; on this neotropical species the documented carpenter-bee pollinators are large Xylocopa, with the eastern carpenter bee a plausible visitor where their ranges meet.

Large carpenter bees are principal pollinators of pomegranate flowers, working the showy orange-red blooms for nectar and pollen and improving fruit set over self-pollination alone.

Large carpenter bees visit and can rob the deep flowers; like the other bee visitors this is incidental foraging rather than evidence of strong habitat value.

Large carpenter bees are strong enough to work the substantial canna flowers for nectar.

Carpenter bees sometimes nectar-rob the long spurs by slicing the spur tip from the side, bypassing the flower mechanism without effecting pollination.

Large carpenter bees are strong enough to work the big open hibiscus flowers and gather pollen from the prominent staminal column; mapped as plausible for this non-native tropical.