Large Bee ID request - Ask Extension
A large black bee flew into our house today. It's black and approximately 1 inch long. I caught it in a jar. Some yellow on back underneath.
Knowledgebase
Large Bee ID request #768789
Asked August 23, 2021, 5:01 PM EDT
A large black bee flew into our house today. It's black and approximately 1 inch long. I caught it in a jar. Some yellow on back underneath.
Washington County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi, that certainly is a scary looking critter. Unfortunately, I can not make a positive insect i.d. from a photo. Sometimes the only way is to look at the insect under magnification.
I have some suggestions for you. 1. You can take your insect into the Washington County Extension office. They should be able to provide positive identification. Or 2. Is your "bee" really a fly? You might enjoy putting on your detective hat and doing a little sleuthing. University of Illinois has an interesting webpage called BeeSpotter. Here is the link to "Bee Mimics". This really cool site covers the different key characteristics that distinguish bees from yellowjackets and flies. These can be spotted with a magnifying glass.
Have fun with your sleuthing.
I have some suggestions for you. 1. You can take your insect into the Washington County Extension office. They should be able to provide positive identification. Or 2. Is your "bee" really a fly? You might enjoy putting on your detective hat and doing a little sleuthing. University of Illinois has an interesting webpage called BeeSpotter. Here is the link to "Bee Mimics". This really cool site covers the different key characteristics that distinguish bees from yellowjackets and flies. These can be spotted with a magnifying glass.
Have fun with your sleuthing.
Thanks for your email. I trapped the bugger inside a jar. It seemed very aggressive and buzzed loudly. I will be happy to bring it into your office this week. Maybe it will expire by the time you see it.
This is the first time I ever saw this type of bee. I know there are hundreds to choose from, but since I cannot open the jar to closer ID it, then the mystery will either be solved by my sleuthing or your ID'ing.
See you later this week.
