Xylocopa violacea
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
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 →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 2 | Sierra Nevada National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 3 | Mercantour National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 4 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 5 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 6 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Violet Carpenter Bee sighting in Mercantour National Park on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 245th most-seen of the 412 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Violet Carpenter Bee in Mercantour National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April–May and September–January, the lowest months.
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.
3rd of 6
Of the 6 parks where we can rate Violet Carpenter Bee sightings, Mercantour National Park ranks 3rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Cévennes National Park (France, about 20%) and Sierra Nevada National Park (Spain, about 20%).
Same family: Apidae
The closest relatives of the Violet Carpenter Bee that you can see in Mercantour National Park (family Apidae, Honey Bees, Bumble Bees, and Allies) are Sichel's Bumble Bee (about 10%), Common Carder Bumble Bee (about 10%) and Black-Backed Bumble Bee (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Violet Carpenter Bee is recorded against all the insects logged in Mercantour National Park (8 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
