Xylocopa pubescens on Lythrum salicaria

"Xylocopa pubescens" is a species of large carpenter bee. Females form nests by excavation with their mandibles, often in dead or soft wood. "X. pubescens" is commonly found in areas extending from India to Northeast and West Africa. It must reside in these warm climates because it requires a minimum ambient temperature of 18 degrees Celsius in order to forage.