carpenter bee

noun

1. any of several solitary bees of the family Apidae that nest in solid wood, boring tunnels in which to deposit their eggs.

carpenter bee

noun

1. any large solitary bee of the genus Xylocopa and related genera that lays its eggs in tunnels bored into wood or in plant stems: family Apidae

Word History and Origins

Origin of carpenter bee¹

First recorded in 1830–40