They are pretty much harmless..It is called a Sculptured Resin Bee (Megachile sculpturalis), native to east Asia, recently introduced to North America. It was first reported in North Carolina in June, 1994. They are opportunistic and nest in existing wooden cavities, rather than excavating their own. They effectively pollinate kudzu.
More info on them here -
http://www.discoverlife.org/mp...
I collected and donated specimens of this bee on my property for a Taxonomic Paper written by Katherine A. Parys PhD. at USDA-ARS Southern Insect Management Research Unit, Stoneville, MS..
Click the following link for the paper at the Biodiversity Data Journal......
http://biodiversitydatajournal...
Here's a photo that I took of some on my property
