Carpenter bee season is raging on, with millions of homes and businesses experiencing nests showing on their properties. At Green Pest Management, the counties we serve in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania usually see an uptick in late April and early May, usually the first warm week after a rainy spell.
If you are experiencing an infestation, carpenter bee pest control could be your solution and it is important to get help quickly to stop property damage and potential injury. Contact us here for a free pest control quote. Here are some fun facts about the aptly named “wood bee.”
How to Spot Carpenter Bee Nests on Decks and Eaves
Carpenter bee nests appear very organized and clean to the naked eye. The setup is almost like a regular home. These bees build out rooms that are sectioned out and measured perfectly. Though carpenter bees rarely cause severe damage (like termites), they can still cause cosmetic and structural damages. Carpenter bee tunnels are usually 2-3 inches wide and can get up to 10 feet long. They tend to build perfect 1-2 inch circles and prefer unpainted, weathered wood (very common on decks in New Jersey counties) versus painted wood.
Significant damage usually happens when the same wood is infested year after year. Female carpenter bees dig new holes every year. Holes in the wood surfaces can invite moisture, intrusion, rotting, and decay. Carpenter bees prefer untreated wood but tend to attack in any condition. Bees need to see or feel the grain of the wood to recognize it’s wood. They usually live up to 3 years and will have 1-2 generations, and these new young will live with their mother. Young are generally born in August or so, and don’t leave the nest to do more than collect pollen, until winter.
Carpenter Bee vs. Bumblebee: How to Tell the Difference
As much as it may not seem like it, bumblebees and carpenter bees are not the same. When we receive customer calls about bees, we guide our customers on how to tell the difference between them. Bumblebees are friendly and needed for a healthy ecosystem, as they pollinate the plants that make up our parks, gardens, and community spaces! It is not recommended to treat them because they are typically protected by local laws and are of little danger to humans. They have fuzzy yellow and black stripes on their back, compared to carpenter bees, which are hairless and shiny.
Carpenter bees drill holes in wood and tend to nest on decks, fences, and eaves. You will typically only find bumblebees in the ground. Bumblebees are also usually passive; they don’t typically bother humans. Our customers report carpenter bees diving at them, which is scary and potentially dangerous. Contact pest control immediately if you suspect carpenter bees on your property!
| Feature | Carpenter Bee (The Destructive One) | Bumble Bee (The Friendly One) |
| Abdomen (Butt) | Shiny, black, hairless (“Shiny Hiney”) | Fuzzy, yellow, and black stripes |
| Behavior | Drills holes in wood; hovers/dives at humans | Nests in the ground; focuses on flowers |
| Nesting Site | Eaves, decks, cedar siding, fences | Holes in the ground, old rodent burrows |
| Treatment | Requires structural treatment | Generally protected/beneficial (Do not treat) |
Carpenter Bees are Active in Spring and Summer
In New Castle and Salem counties, we typically see carpenter bees are most active during spring and summer months while they pollinate and sparingly store food for the upcoming winter months. They emerge during late April and early May, usually the first week after a rainy spell. During fall, the bees will elevate their stockpile of pollen and nectar, and store it in abandoned nest tunnels in preparation for hibernation, also called overwinter.
Do Carpenter Bees Sting? (Dive Behavior)
Female carpenter bees are the only ones with a stinger. Luckily, it is very unlikely to get stung, unless you are agitating them or their burrows. Carpenter bee stingers contain bee venom. When you are stung, you will feel a sharp pain and a burning sensation. Much like any other bee, they can cause an allergic reaction. The bee venom is similar to that found in honey bees. Since carpenter bee stingers are not barbed, they can sting and inject venom multiple times.
Though male carpenter bees have no stinger, they are quite aggressive when it comes to protecting the nest. Their most common attack is a diving attack on anyone who is in their way. They emit a loud buzzing as well, so it can be rather intimidating. They tend to hover around the nest and will dart at any other insects that enter their territory.
Do Carpenter Bees Pollinate?
Many flowering plants in gardens, farms, and other areas are pollinated by carpenter bees. In fact, 15% of our crops are pollinated by native bees such as carpenter bees. The reason these bees are considered pests is because of the damage caused to wooden structures.
Why Carpenter Bees are not a Protected Species
Though carpenter bees can and do pollinate, they are low pollinators. Meaning they do not pollinate as much as honey bees do. Honey bees pollinate 80% of crops, unlike the 15% that carpenter bees do. Carpenter bees are rather territorial and will often “attack” honey bees by shoving them out of their own territory. If a nest is built in an area where honey bees would normally be, carpenter bees will often scare them off because of the high quantity of pollen.
Nest tunnels are built with a Carpenter Bee’s strong jaws
Unlike honey bees, who build their hives with chewed beeswax, carpenter bees build their nests by drilling. They move their mandibles in circular patterns. Carpenter bees prefer to drill in wood at least 2 inches thick. Why? They will normally drill the entrance 1 inch in, and immediately take a right angled turn, where they build their nests. This makes sure that young and larva are safe from other insects looking for a quick grab and go. Carpenter bees have favorite types of wood. This includes; redwood, cedar, pine, and cypress. Carpenter bees like untreated and natural wood. They don’t like painted or varnished woods. If a female bee can find an old or abandoned nest, she will use that instead. Even though it only takes a few hours to drill a hole a few inches deep, carpenter bees prefer to move in asap. With bamboo, they will chew bits and pieces, and seal up holes, and begin to form the nest around them. As long as it is an unpainted or mostly untreated surface, carpenter bees will nest, and come back to those places.
Bees do not eat wood, but reuse particles to build cells or discard them
During the excavation process of building a nest, carpenter bees will often use the chewed up sawdust to build walls within the insides of the nests. Regurgitated wood is also used to feed young larva.
How to tell if you have Carpenter Bees
Carpenter bee holes are a tell-tale sign of a nest. Carpenter bees’ entry holes are about 1 inch deep and are found near eaves, decks, or other wood areas. If you can find sawdust piles on the ground and excrement stains on the wood below the holes, there’s a good chance these pests are nearby and need adequate treatment.
When to call pest control for Carpenter Bees
Many home and business owners wonder if it is the right time to call for help when they suspect carpenter bees are invading their property. While it is always a good idea to contact experts, even if you are unsure, these can be telltale signs that it is time for expert support with your bee problem.
| Damage Sign | Measurements | Where to Look |
| Entry Holes | Perfectly round, ~1/2 inch wide | Fascia boards, decks, unpainted fences |
| Tunnel Depth | Starts 1 inch deep, then turns 90° | Inside the wood (not visible from surface) |
| Tunnel Length | Can extend up to 10 feet | Running parallel to the wood grain |
| Evidence | Sawdust piles (“Frass”) & yellow stains | Directly below the entry hole |
Green Pest Management supports select Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland counties, including New Castle County, Gloucester County, Sussex County, and more. If you are experiencing issues, contact us here for a quote.
There are over 500 species
There are over 500 species of Carpenter bees all over the world. The largest species of carpenter is called Xylocopa latipes. This specific species of carpenter bees has a ginger color over their body, and are covered in fuzz. They can be found in Southeast Asia. The wingspan is 1.5 inches, and their body is almost the size of a mouse.
There are 4 stages of a carpenter bee’s life
There are four stages of a carpenter bee’s life, illustrated below. Adults can live up to 3 years in the environment.
| Life Stage | Duration | What Happens? |
| 1. Egg | 2–3 Days | The female lays up to 6 eggs in a “pollen bread” chamber inside the wood tunnel. |
| 2. Larva | 12–18 Days | The larva eats the regurgitated “bee bread” and matures inside the safe wooden tunnel. |
| 3. Pupa | Varies | The “metamorphosis” stage. The bee is inactive and vulnerable while it develops wings and adult features. |
| 4. Adult | ~3 Years | The bee emerges to drill new nests, mate, and hibernate (overwinter) in old tunnels. |
Carpenter Bee Pest Control
Here at Green Pest Management, we are here to help you get back to protecting the wood on your commercial or residential property this summer, with carpenter bee pest control. We have treatments that will help keep these bees from doing what they do best and getting out of hand. Call or contact us here for a free quote. We would love to help eradicate your pest situation.
Will painting wood in my home stop carpenter bees?
Yes and no. In our experience, Carpenter Bees hate oil-based paint and heavy varnish. However, they will drill through wood stains. If you have a cedar home in areas of southwest New Jersey or near New Castle, Delaware, painting fascia boards can be a prevention, but it is still best to contact pest control first.
How do I fix carpenter bee holes?
Don’t plug carpenter bee holes immediately. If you plug the hole while the bee is inside, it will tunnel out a new path that causes even more damage. In cases like these, the gallery must be treated first before plugging the hole with a dowel or wood putty. Our pest control experts recommend calling pest control first to get a second opinion, as it is not a good idea to fight carpenter bees by yourself.
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