Carpenter Bees

What Is A Carpenter Bee?

When it comes to insects, there aren’t as many as well known as the bee. The ant or termite might come close, but it is the bee that people encounter almost every summer day. Whether it is a walk in the park, a picnic with the family, or an outing at the neighbors, you’ll likely come into contact with a bee. At the very least, you’ll see one buzz by. Despite this, there is still tons of information that people aren’t aware of surrounding the insect. The perfect example is the species. Did you know that there are all kinds of species of bees just beside the bumblebee? There is and one of the more well-known is the carpenter bee.

Unlike other bees, the carpenter bee is a solitary species, meaning it is willing to go at it alone. As far a size, these bees can grow anywhere to be as long as a ½ inch to 1 ½ inch. The male of the species is black and orange while the female is solid black. Going back to the bumblebee, the carpenter bee and bumblebee are commonly mistaken for each other. This is because they are similar in appearance. The only difference between the two is their abdomens. The carpenter bee has a black and shiny abdomen, whereas the bumblebee has a hairy abdomen.

Why Do People Have Carpenter Bees?

If you have carpenter bees on your property it’s because they are looking for one of the three necessities of life. They are either seeking shelter, water, or food. These are the three basic things needed to survive. Given their name, you’ve probably already concluded that carpenter bees thrive on wood. They do, but they thrive on specific types of wood. It is unpainted, unstained, and weathered wood that these bees enjoy. They’ll burrow deep into structures constructed of this material, building nests, and colonies. Oftentimes, they build tunnels in these wood products that damage the integrity of the structures they are attached to. 

Although these critters tunnel deep into wood products, they do not eat wood. Pretty interesting when you think about it. That being said, breeding pairs of these bees will return to the same area year after year, only increasing the damage. Carpenter bees might only be seasonal, but if you don’t rectify the problem, they will return the following year to the same structure and cause even more damage.

What Threats Do Carpenter Bees Pose?

From the information above, you can likely already see some of the potential damage that these creatures pose. While they might have stingers and sting, they don’t pose any major health threats. They pose your structure more risks than anything else. All that being said, the male of the species does possess a stinger and will fly around the entrance of the next, protecting it. These bees are not overly aggressive, but if you make the mistake of getting too close, they will perceive it as a threat and attack.

The females of the species do also have stingers but are nowhere near as aggressive as the males. They do not fly around the entrance. They will, however, sting if they feel threatened or that their colony is under threat. Another thing to note that’s interesting is, carpenter bees attract woodpeckers because this bird species feeds on the larvae.

How Do You Properly Eliminate Carpenter Bees?

Unfortunately, the elimination of carpenter bees can be pretty difficult. This is because of the tunnels they construct. As you learned from above, these creatures burrow into unstained and unpainted, weathered wood, building complex networks of tunnels. These tunnel systems make them extremely hard to eradicate. It only takes one survival to cause another infestation. This is why it is highly recommended to turn to the pros for the elimination of carpenter bees. While pesticides are effective for elimination, over-the-counter products aren’t so much so. The professionals like us only have access to the chemicals that will eradicate these critters.

Can You Prevent Carpenter Bee Infestation?

As with most insect infestations, it is best to try and stop the problem before it becomes a problem. Unfortunately, this is much harder to do than one might imagine. Especially when dealing with a critter like a carpenter bee. While it is impossible to eliminate your risks, there are things you can do to mitigate them. The best place to start is by curing your wood products or structures. Paint or stain your porches and patios. Paint or seal any outside, exposed wood. Carpenter bees are only attracted to natural, unstained wood products.

When Can You Help?

Our trained and qualified techs are capable of handling just about any type of insect infestation. Whether you are dealing with fleas, flies, or carpenter bees, we have the tools, knowledge, and experience to properly handle your infestation. Due to our unique abilities and reputation in the area, we stay busy all year. However, we are more than willing to adapt and accommodate our customers. After making an initial inquiry with our offices, we’ll dispatch someone out to the property. You can expect to see us within the next 24 to 48 hours.

Another thing to keep in mind is, we do have emergency services available for those in need. Maybe you need someone out at the property after hours. Whatever the situation, we always have someone standing by ready to assist.

If you have any other pest control issues please check out other services.