carpenter bee

American  

noun

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

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carpenter bee British  

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

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Etymology

Origin of carpenter bee

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

In September a different study published in the journal Communications Biology revealed that carpenter bee mothers spend an unusually large amount of time with their offspring because it helps them ward off potentially deadly diseases.

From Salon

Yet the small carpenter bees have their own problems: when their microbiomes are out of balance and their bodies riddled with fungal infections, they are more susceptible to all kinds of diseases.

From Salon

Q: How do I deal with carpenter bees?

From Washington Post

Honey bees have a reputation for working hard, but carpenter bees and other bee species that don’t live in colonies might be even more industrious.

From Science Magazine

In some carpenter bee species, females nest in groups, living alongside their daughters or other adult female bees.

From New York Times