Broad-handed Carpenter Bee Xylocopa latipes

This bee is a serious woodworker—it bores long, elaborate tunnels deep into dead wood, rafters, and telephone poles, carving out galleries where it lays eggs and stockpiles pollen. Despite these architectural talents, it avoids living trees, preferring already-dead wood and protected structures. Found throughout Southeast Asia, these substantial bees are surprisingly docile, content to spend their time on tunneling projects rather than threatening humans.