Chances are you’ve been buzzed by a large, intimidating-looking bee when working on the outside of your home. You may also have the telltale holes in your woodwork where these bees build their nests. This article explores signs that show you may have a carpenter bee infestation and ways you can control carpenter bees on your property.
4.6
Over 90 years of experience
Nationwide service area
Free retreatments if pests return
4.7
Treats 20 types of pests
Offers instant online quotes
30-day money-back guarantee
About Carpenter Bees
Carpenter bees are large black and yellow bees that resemble bumble bees. But while bumblebees are fuzzy all over; carpenter bees have a large, shiny, solid black abdomen.
While they may look scary, male carpenter bees — the ones likely to dive-bomb your head with a whitish spot on their face — don’t even have stingers. Adult female carpenter bees can sting but generally won’t unless aggravated.
Carpenter bees get their names from carpenter bee holes. These bees drill holes that are perfectly round, half-inch-diameter holes in wood surfaces for their nests. In the spring, the bees emerge from their winter nests, mate, and set about building this year’s nest.
The female bee uses sharp teeth to excavate a perfectly round tunnel in soft wood, or she may choose instead to remodel an existing tunnel. She will then lay eggs in the tunnel, where they develop as her life cycle comes to an end.
In late summer, the new bees emerge to feed on plant nectar, then crawl back into their carpenter bee nests, where they will stay over winter.
Carpenter Bee Damage
Carpenter bees prefer to excavate their nests in soft, unpainted wood – such as the back side of fascia boards, siding, window trim, and porch ceilings. Adult bees also bore into decks, outdoor furniture, fence posts, railings, and swing sets. Softer and unfinished woods — like pine, cedar, redwood, and cypress — are more attractive for nests, while treated lumber and hardwoods are less inviting.
The holes typically go inward for about an inch, then the tunnel turns and follows the grain of the wood for about six more inches. The tunnel might branch into smaller ones that are shared by multiple bees.
In addition to tunnels, you might also find:
- Fresh sawdust outside the hole.
- Scraping sounds from inside the wood.
- Fan-shaped stains outside the openings.
If your infestation is limited to a tunnel or two, there’s nothing to worry about. Even though they bore into wood, carpenter bees don’t systematically destroy a wooden structure like termites or carpenter ants.
However, if the carpenter bee infestation is extensive or has been going on for years, the sheer number of tunnels can cause problems, including:
- Structural Damage: It would take a lot of tunnels to compromise a structure, but over time they can weaken wood.
- protectWater Damage: If moisture enters the tunnels, it can speed the rotting of the wood. This is especially problematic if the tunnels are in your home’s siding, since it protects the structure.
- Stains: Feces of carpenter bees can stain wood.
- Woodpeckers: Insect-eating birds can be drawn to the enticing sounds of bee nesting and larvae, which can invite much more severe damage.
How to Prevent Carpenter Bee Damage
Here are some tips for making your home less attractive to carpenter bees:
- Paint or Varnish: You can discourage carpenter bees by painting all surfaces (including the backs and undersides of boards) with a sealing primer and at least two coats of paint. Stains and varnishes are less effective, but any coating is better than bare wood.
- Treated or Hard Lumber: Treated lumber and hardwoods are less susceptible to damage from carpenter bees. These bees prefer weathered or unfinished wood.
- Non-Wood Covering: If the problem is unrelenting, you may need to look into non-wood siding and trim options, such as aluminum, vinyl, fiber cement, or masonry.
- Fill Cracks: Before painting or sealing, fill all cracks, nail holes, divots, and splintered wood with caulking or wood putty.
How to Deal with Carpenter Bees
If the bees are already at work on your home:
- Fill Abandoned Holes: When carpenter bees emerge in spring and again in fall, fill holes with a bit of steel wool, a wad of aluminum foil, a dowel, and wood glue, wood putty, or even caulk. After filling the holes completely, paint over them.
- Treat Active Holes: If the holes are still active, you may want to treat the holes with a targeted dose of insecticide first. Products such as pyrethrum, boric acid, carbaryl (Sevin), or any spray labeled for flying insects will do the trick. The best time to treat the holes is at night when bees are resting, or in early spring while they’re still hibernating. Apply the spray or powder directly into the hole, staying on alert for an angry female bee that might emerge. By the next day, you should be able to fill and paint over the tunnel.
- Avoid Wood Treatments: Since carpenter bees don’t actually eat wood, treating it doesn’t do much good.
- Carpenter Bee Traps: Carpenter bee traps are a simple and effective way to get rid of these bees. Bees enter the trap they believe is a nest and are unable to escape. You can buy or build these traps.
- Stay Alert: There’s no way to completely prevent or remove carpenter bees. But by taking these steps and staying alert to new activity, you can keep damage to a minimum.
Further Information
- Carpenter Bees (North Carolina State University)
- Carpenter Bees (University of California Integrated Pest Management)
Think you might need professional help with your carpenter bee problem? Use the form below to connect with local pest control pros:
You Can DIY This
Carpenter bees may resemble bumble bees, but can be much more destructive to your home. To identify where the bees are nesting, look for holes in the wood that are around a half-inch in diameter, saw dust around the holes, or fan stains surrounding the holes. Other signs could be seeing more woodpeckers in the area.
There are non-toxic and organic ways to encourage the bees to move. These include carpenter bee traps, essential oils, treating your wood, and more. While you can kill these bugs, they are important pollinators, so I encourage some natural options first.
FAQs About Carpenter Bees Near Your Home
Are there non-toxic or organic ways to get rid of carpenter bees?
There are several non-toxic or organic ways to get rid of carpenter bees. Almond oil and citrus spray (made from citrus oil and water) can be applied to wood surfaces as a natural deterrent. You can provide alternative homes for the bees, or make physical barriers to the holes the bees have made. For this you can use steel wool, wood, or metal sheeting.
Is it okay to kill carpenter bees?
Carpenter bees are important pollinators , so you may wish to consider non-toxic or organic methods to remove bees from your property. In most areas, there are no legal repercussions for killing carpenter bees, though some areas enforce restrictions on pesticides that can be used.
When should I call the exterminator about a carpenter bee infestation?
If you have exhausted all other options or are experiencing significant property damage from your carpenter bee infestation, it may be time to call bee control or the exterminator.
