This blue bee is the adorable escape into nature you need

These blue bees have buzzed their way into our hearts

Wikimedia

Editors note: This article was produced in partnership with Earth Day Network. In a democracy, every voice matters. Click here to pledge to vote on environmental progress in 2020. 

Few color schemes are as iconic as the black-and-yellow stripes of a bee.

But what if I told you that not all bees follow that pattern? In fact, some bees… are blue.

Unlike the viral blue watermelon hoax, blue bees are very real. Found throughout Southeast Asia, the blue carpenter bee’s scientific name is Xylocopa Caerulea. And they are, in fact, adorable.

I like big bees and I cannot lie

These blue bees have buzzed their way into our hearts 1

Flickr: USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab

Blue carpenter bees are one hefty insect: they can grow up to 28 mm (1.1 in) long. In contrast, the eastern carpenter bee that lives across much of the US usually only makes it to 25 mm (0.98 in), if that.

Solitary lives

These blue bees have buzzed their way into our hearts 2

Wikimedia

You won’t ever find these bees buzzing around in a giant swarm (though that would probably be really cool to see). They bore holes in trees and live in them alone, although queen bees will occasionally allow other bees into their nests.

Sweet like honey?

These blue bees have buzzed their way into our hearts 3

Canva

These bees do produce honey, but it probably looks a bit different from the stuff in the picture above. One writer describes it as having “a peanut butter or cookie dough consistency.” They then combine this honey with pollen and lay their eggs on top of it, so you probably don’t want to try eating it.

Color causes

These blue bees have buzzed their way into our hearts 4

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Blue isn’t the most common color in nature. In the case of the blue carpenter bees, the hue results from a phenomenon known as coherent light scattering. The vibrant blue appears only in queens; males are a duller shade of green or brown.

Nature’s rainbow

These blue bees have buzzed their way into our hearts 5

Canva

We’re grateful to our basic black-and-yellow buddies for all the work they do pollinating our crops, but it’s also cool to see their relatives around the globe. If Xylocopa Caerulea aren’t enough for you, take a look some of the other brightly-colored bees.

Xylocopa bombylans, the peacock carpenter bee

These blue bees have buzzed their way into our hearts 6

Wikimedia

These ethereal insects are found in Australia.

Xylocopa aeratus, the green carpenter bee

These blue bees have buzzed their way into our hearts 7

Wikimedia

Another beautiful bee from Down Under!

Andrena cineraria, the ashy mining bee

These blue bees have buzzed their way into our hearts 8

Flickr: Nature.Catcher

Also called the “grey mining bee,” these can be found throughout Europe.

Euglossa, a genus of orchard bees

These blue bees have buzzed their way into our hearts 9

Flickr: Judy Gallagher

These bees are found across Central and South America, with some showing up in Florida. Aren’t their colors stunning?

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