Don't remember seeing one that large and nearly solid color before. What is it?

I've never seen one like that either. Cute though whatever it is.

I'm thinking it might be a carpenter bee.

Uh oh, that's no good, is it...

I've never dealt with them.

Guess I'd better find out how.

I have carpenter bees, they boar a hole in the unpainted siding, I confuse it with the Mason Bee.

I don't know a lot about bees, but ones like that we call carpenter bees, and no, not good.

I've been reading a bit on carpenter bees and while they have a bad rep they are native to North America and are great pollinators of our native wild flowers. Normally they nest in trees but may nest in the wood of your buildings which is what causes them to be labelled pests.
They also pollinate our gardens.

I left them alone. (mostly because I am lazy ) Want my yard to be as natural as is possible and practical. Saw bees last week in the trailing rosemary. Made me smile.