Carpenter Bees

What Is The Carpenter Bee?

You are probably familiar with the bee. Heck, it’s even possible that you have been stung by a bee or two in your lifetime. You’ve likely even seen a hive or two. Maybe on your property or not. You might even know that there are different types of bees. You’ve no doubt seen them buzzing around in your area. That being said, you might not know just how important it is to be able to disgusting between these different types of bees, especially if you are trying to eliminate them from the property. Carpenter bees are one you’ll see a lot of in your area and here’s what you need to know about them:

• They are solely solitary
• They can grow anywhere from ½ to 1 ½ inch in size
• The males are black and orange
• Females are solid black
• They are oftentimes confused with the bumblebee because of their similar looks
• Carpenter bees have a much shiner and blacker abdomen, whereas the bumblebee’s abdomen is hairy

Why Do I Have Carpenter Bees?

Given the name carpenter bee, you best believe that the carpenter bee likes wood. However, the interesting thing is they prefer unstained, unpainted, and softwood to hardwood. They will build tunnels in these wood materials and create nests. The most common areas they attack are decks, porches, and sheds. Another interesting fact is, these bees will return over and over again to the same nesting spots if the problem isn’t taken care of. They are overwintering insects, which means they’ll hibernate during the winter, but when summer comes back around, they’ll find their way back here.

Are Carpenter Bees Dangerous?

Carpenter bees consist of males and females, but it is the males that are much more aggressive. While they do have a stinger and they will constantly fly around their colony, they usually won’t sting until approached or touched. There are some situations when they still won’t even attack under these conditions. Females are even more docile, making them even less of a threat. That being said, they do transmit venom. Some people have experienced deadly allergic reactions to this venom. Other things to note are that these critters draw woodpeckers because woodpeckers feed on their larvae. Woodpeckers in turn attract snakes. You should be able to see where this is going.

How To Eliminate Carpenter Bees!

You likely don’t need anyone telling you by now that carpenter bees can be extremely hard to eliminate. Not only because they build tunnels in wood sources, but because they’ll see it as a threat and attack. You combine this with their potentially deadly venom, and it just makes the entire situation all that more threatening. This is why this is a task much better left to the pros. We have the tools, knowledge, and know-how to assist you and your family in the safest manner possible. All you have to do is pick up the phone and give us a call.

Can I Treat Carpenter Bees Myself?

As pest management professionals, we cannot recommend anyone try eliminating carpenter bees on their own. We are not saying that it’s not entirely possible, but we certainly cannot recommend it. The process is dangerous, but most of the time, eradication requires the utilization of chemicals. Chemicals that are just as dangerous. When these chemicals aren’t administered properly in the right circumstances, they can be just as deadly as the bee’s venom.

With all this in mind, we also want people to know that the chemicals available to the public just aren’t as potent as the ones we use. This is because they are lacking specific ingredients. While still dangerous, the over-the-counter pesticides just aren’t as effective. The chemicals needed to successfully eradicate carpenter bees are illegal to the public. Anyone using these materials is doing so illegally.

Are There Safer Options?

We are happy to announce that we do now offer greener, more eco-friendly solutions. Thanks to the advances in the pest industry and the evolution of technology, there are now a variety of eco-friendly pest management solutions available for dealing with carpenter bees. While these treatments might not be applicable for every property, we always try to offer them when and where we can. All you have to do is give us a call and we’ll dispatch out a trained assessor. He’ll evaluate the area and determine whether or not your property applies to these types of solutions.

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