Painted wood surfaces, on the other hand, are rarely attacked since the bees must see or feel the grain of the wood in order to recognize it as wood. PreventionĪlthough carpenter bees prefer bare wood or distressed wood, they will attack wood that is stained. Since carpenter bees tend to migrate back to the same area from which they emerged, it is important to implement some control measures in order to prevent logs and wood members from becoming riddled by these bees. In late fall activity may again be seen as both male and female carpenter bees clean out old nest cavities where they stay over winter. If left unattended for several years, serious damage to a wood member may result. In addition to making new holes, carpenter bees also enlarge old tunnels. Several eggs are laid in individual chambers separated by plugs of pollen on which the larvae feed until they emerge as adults during the summer months. ![]() This tunnel, which may run for several inches, becomes the cavity where the female deposits her eggs. Once the initial hole is drilled through the surface, the bee will make a turn and excavate a tunnel along the grain of the wood. Females have a stinger but only use it if molested. Male carpenter bees often frighten people with their aggressive behavior but since they have no stinger they are essentially harmless. Once they have paired and mated the female bee drills into a suitable site while the male stays nearby to ward off intruders. Most carpenter bee activity occurs in early spring when male and female bees emerge after spending the winter in old nest tunnels. Since it only takes a couple of hours for a carpenter bee to drill a hole a few inches deep, lots of holes can appear over a fairly short period of time. As the bee drills into the wood, coarse sawdust may be seen coming out of the hole and piling up beneath the hole. Even pressure treated wood is not immune from carpenter bee attack. Their holes are perfectly round and about 1/4 inch in diameter.Īlthough carpenter bees prefer hardwoods such as cedar, redwood, or cypress, they happily attack pine and most other species of wood. Unlike honey bees that reproduce in hives, carpenter bees drill into wood in order to lay their eggs. Carpenter bees are big black solitary bees that look similar to bumblebees but have bare, shiny backs whereas a bumblebee's back is hairy. ![]() Every spring we get lots of calls about carpenter bees drilling into logs, fascia boards, eaves, decks and other unpainted wood surfaces.
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