A couple of days ago I posted photos of a big bee-like bug and asked for help in identifying it. The first two commenters identified it as a Valley Carpenter Bee, and that's now confirmed by Daniel Marlos, the "Bugman" at What's That Bug?:
Dear Backwards Beekeepers,
After firing back a quick response that this is a male Valley Carpenter Bee, we checked out your website and we are very intrigued. First, a bit more about your bee. Valley Carpenter Bees exhibit pronounced sexual dimorphism. The females are large black bees with black wings that live rather long. The short lived males are a pretty golden yellow color with green eyes. They are more active and have a shorter season. The male in your photo does not look normal. Perhaps he has neared the end of his life. Since we are neighbors, we may try to attend your next meeting...
Looking forward to seeing you at the meeting, Daniel—and thanks for the bug ID!
