We’re so used to seeing honey and bumble bees that you could be forgiven for assuming bees only came in yellow and black. But in reality, bees come in an array of colours, from green and ginger , to purple, white , and even pitch black . But there’s something about that rich, bright cerulean that really sets the blue carpenter bee ( Xylocopa caerulea ) apart. Nature doesn’t often give us blue insects , so when it does, it’s hard not to be impressed. The blue carpenter bee is found throughout Southeast Asia, India, and Southern China, and they’re known for being large and heavy bees that live solitary lives, and are generally non-aggressive. While European honey bees (the most common species in Australia) grow to just 17 mm long, blue carpenter bees can reach a whopping 28 mm, which makes them appear eerily hefty. We couldn’t find footage of a blue carpenter bee flying, but this violet carpenter bee ( Xylocopa violacea ) grows to about the same size: As with