Violet Carpenter Bee

Violet Carpenter Bee

Xylocopa violacea

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Milan

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%

10 Verified sightings at Milan
201 In all 6 parks From 2019 to 2026
May Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Violet Carpenter Bee

Xylocopa violacea, the violet carpenter bee, is the common European species of carpenter bee, and one of the largest bees in Europe. It is also native to Asia. Like most members of the genus Xylocopa, it makes its nests in dead wood. It is not particularly aggressive, and will attack only if forced to.

The range of Xylocopa violacea extends from Europe eastward across Asia as far as central China, restricted to latitudes above 30 degrees. In 2006, Xylocopa violacea was reported from Cardigan, Wales. In 2007, it was found breeding for the first time in England, in Leicestershire. This follows a northwards expansion of its range in France, Germany, and the Channel Islands. In 2010 it was recorded in Northamptonshire and Worcestershire.

In India, any all-black species of Xylocopa are referred to by the common name "bhanvra" (or "bhomora" – ভোমোৰা – in Assamese), and reports and sightings of bhanvra are commonly misattributed to this species. However, this species is found only in the northern regions of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. Most reported sightings refer to any of several other common black Xylocopa, such as X. nasalis, X. tenuiscapa, or X. tranquebarorum.... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Cévennes National Park 🇫🇷 France
~20%
2 Sierra Nevada National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~20%
3 Mercantour National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
4 Sierra de Guadarrama National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
5 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
~10%
6 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Jerusalem 🇮🇱 Israel
~20%
2 Barcelona 🇪🇸 Spain
~20%
3 Valencia 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
4 Lisbon 🇵🇹 Portugal
~10%
5 Berlin 🇩🇪 Germany
~10%
6 Madrid 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
7 Budapest 🇭🇺 Hungary
~10%
8 Rome 🇮🇹 Italy
~10%
9 Paris 🇫🇷 France
~10%
10 Lyon 🇫🇷 France
~10%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Violet Carpenter Bee in Milan?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Violet Carpenter Bee sighting in Milan on a given day, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 207th most-seen of the 351 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Violet Carpenter Bee in Milan?

February, May–June, August and October

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Violet Carpenter Bee in Milan on a given day, against under 5% in March–April, July, September and November–January, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Violet Carpenter Bee?

Between 10 am and 1 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Violet Carpenter Bee sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Milan the best place to see a Violet Carpenter Bee?

17th of 19

Of the 19 cities where we can rate Violet Carpenter Bee sightings, Milan ranks 17th at under 5%. The best odds are in Jerusalem (Israel, about 20%), Barcelona (Spain, about 20%) and Valencia (Spain, about 10%).

Where does the Violet Carpenter Bee sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Violet Carpenter Bee is recorded against all the insects logged in Milan (10 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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