Broad-handed Carpenter Bee
About the Broad-handed Carpenter Bee in Singapore
Last updated 29 May 2026
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Common sight among trellises of flowering plants in urban areas, the Broad-handed Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa latipes) is among the largest and heaviest of Singapore’s bees. You may hear their remarkably loud, low-pitched buzzing before you actually spot them flying by.
Identifying features
Check out some identifying features of the Broad-handed Carpenter Bee!
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The Broad-handed Carpenter Bee is remarkable for its completely black body, which stands in striking contrast to its wings. These wings, when touched by sunlight, reveal a brilliant metallic iridescence, flashing in shades of blue, green, or even purple.
Among the males, a particularly distinctive feature is the broadened, hairy front legs, often referred to as the "broad hands", that set them apart from other bees.
Habitat and ecology
These bees construct nests in deadwood, using their strong jaws to bore perfectly circular tunnels. These bees perform "buzz pollination," vibrating their flight muscles at high frequencies to shake tightly packed pollen loose from flowers such as the Singapore Rhododendron (Melastoma malabathricum).
Frequently asked questions
Q: Are they the same as bumblebees?
Often mistaken for the former due to their large size and loud buzz, true bumblebees are actually not naturally found in Singapore's lowland tropical climate. You can also tell them apart by their abdomen: carpenter bees have shiny, mostly hairless abdomens, whereas bumblebees are completely fuzzy.
Learn more about the Broad-handed Carpenter Bee!
Curious about the Broad-handed Carpenter Bee? Here are some interesting articles you can read to learn more about them.
