Cropped and combined

Three episodes from the life of carpenter bees (Xylocopa virginica).
Left: flying for mating.
Top right: a female foraging on flowers. A small basket filled with bright yellow pollen is visible on its paw.
Bottom right: the female flies up to the nest entrance (dark circle on the right). On its two legs are full baskets of pollen. On the wall under the entrance to the nest, sawdust is visible, which was formed when the entrance was gnawed. This stuff was used as a "cork" that blocked the entrance to the nest during winter time when the bees hibernated.