1/12/2024 0 Comments Spraying for carpenter bees![]() ![]() “In the spring, I pay attention to when she is first building her hole so I can stop her early on.While they are not a traditionally dangerous pest like wasps or termites, they can cause serious trouble for homeowners if left unchecked. “I can’t have them attacking my house.” For this type of situation, prevention is key. “I live in a log cabin in the woods,” says Griffin. Obviously, a hole in a mailbox post isn’t as concerning as holes all over your cedar siding. ![]() Though it sounds harsh, a simple swat that takes out only the female when she starts building is low-tech, but effective. And while there’s some evidence essential oils, such as peppermint, may repel these bees, there’s no proven formula or application method yet, says Griffin. Insecticides made for bees applied to a wood surface may be effective for a short time but must be reapplied, and this is difficult to do on a large scale.īee traps may catch one or two bees, but they’ll also catch other types of beneficial pollinators. Also, they can’t penetrate vinyl siding, aluminum siding, or cement board siding. You also can try protecting rough areas, such as the ends of timbers, with wire screening or metal flashing. However, carpenter bees are less likely to drill into painted wood, hardwoods, and pressure treated wood, though there are no guarantees. Good luck with that! “This is what they’re evolved to do, and you’ve invaded their territory,” says Raupp. MANORANJAN MISHRA // Getty Images How do I stop carpenter bees from drilling? Occasionally, repeated boring over successive years can become a problem when holes contribute to moisture intrusion and decay, or if woodpeckers drill into the wood in search of bee larvae in the tunnels. The good news is that most of the time, carpenter bees are just a nuisance and rarely cause severe damage. “The males are territorial and may divebomb you, too, if you get too near a nesting site,” says Raupp. Meanwhile, the male carpenter bees like to show off, guarding the nesting site and battling it out with other males, swooping and grappling, with both bees falling to the earth before one gives up and takes off. She will create a series of brood cells where she’ll eventually lay eggs, and each tunnel takes more than a month to build, says Raupp. She drills into wood about a half-inch, then makes a turn and keeps tunneling parallel to the grain of the wood. After a female mates, she starts building a home by excavating a hole with her incredibly strong mandibles. Why do carpenter bees drill holes in my house?Īdult carpenter bees emerge in the spring, looking for love. “Females have stingers but it’s highly unlikely she will sting you unless you grab her and squeeze her,” says Raupp. ![]() They’re not drilling into your house.”Īhead, here’s what else you need to know about carpenter bees and what you can do to get rid of them! Can carpenter bees sting? ![]() “Bumble bees have a fuzzy rear and nest in the ground. “An easy way to tell the difference between carpenter bees and bumble bees is that carpenters have a bald abdomen, or a ‘shiny hiney’,” says Becky Griffin, pollinator health associate with the University of Georgia’s Great Southeast Pollinator Census. A carpenter bee is about ¾ to 1-inch long and nest in excavated tunnels in wood. She’s just doing what comes naturally to her.”Ĭarpenter bees sometimes are mistaken for bumble bees, which have a similar appearance. “She’s not at all interested in you when you’re in the garden. “The females are just a solitary mom taking care of her own babies,” says Mike Raupp, PhD, professor emeritus of entomology and extension specialist, at the University of Maryland. They’re native pollinators that are not aggressive. Another telltale sign is a trace of coarse sawdust on the surface beneath the hole.Ĭarpenter bees ( Xylocopa virginica) actually are amazing creatures. But it’s tough to be patient once carpenter bees enter start boring holes in the side of your house! If you’ve ever seen a perfectly round ½-inch hole in your deck, outdoor furniture, mailbox post, the kids’ playset, or even the cedar siding on your house, you may have carpenter bees. You love your garden, and you want to support pollinators (like butterflies and hummingbirds). ![]()
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