Carpenter bees are a unique species even among their own kind. These pests do not live in colonies, and they very rarely sting. In fact, the males do not even have stingers, and the females will only sting when handled or when they feel threatened. But that does not mean that they are not a threat. Before you discover the problems that carpenter bees cause, you should know a bit about them so you can accurately identify them.

Carpenter bees look very similar to bumble bees, who happen to be their cousins. They are very large and have fuzzy, black heads and large black abdomens. The major difference between the two is that bumble bees are fuzzy all over and carpenter bees are not.

Carpenter bees are solitary insects with each female living in her own home; however, several females can live in the same general area. They prefer to nest inside untreated wood, and will often nest in decks, sheds, other outbuildings, wooden play sets, fence posts, and other untreated wooden areas. Over time, these bees can cause significant damage to these structures, especially if several females are present.

The holes created by carpenter bees are around a half an inch in diameter. Once this nest is established, the female will lay her eggs in it; and when the eggs hatch and mature, these new bees are unlikely to stray very far from home. They will, however, travel a few feet or yards away, create a new hole, and move out on their own to begin the cycle all over again.

It is important for homeowners to know the signs that carpenter bees are near. The damages they leave are typically the most noticeable warning:

• Holes in untreated wood around your home that are generally around a half an inch in diameter.
• Markings around the holes in a semi-circular pattern resembling a fan.
• Wood shavings gathered on the ground near the holes.
• Scratching sound coming from inside the wood.

Understandably, these damages are enough of a reason to keep carpenter bees from choosing your home as their nesting site, but it gets worse. Much worse! As the larvae grow and move around inside the chambers that the mother bee has made inside the wood, they make noise. You probably will be unaware of this wrestling, but woodpeckers are not. And it just so happens that woodpeckers love to feast on carpenter bee larvae. Those holes that the carpenter bee made are going to seem inconsequential once the woodpeckers are done pecking and feasting. Repairing this extensive damage can be costly.

The best way to protect your property from the damages that carpenter bees and the pests that feast on them can cause is with help from the pest professionals here at Active Pest Control. Our pest control experts can treat and control carpenter bees on your property and eliminate the risk to your home and your wallet. To learn more about our effective solutions for carpenter bees or any of our other industry-leading pest protection services, give us a call today.