During the springtime, bee sightings are often a sign of a healthy ecosystem. Many help pollinate plants and produce honey—but some types can also cause damage to property. The carpenter bee is one of these. To help you identify carpenter bees and determine when you should call a pest control company, here’s some basic information about them.

Call BUG-A-PEST If You Identify Carpenter Bees

Appearance

Carpenter bees look like regular honey bees, but a closer examination reveals key differences. Both varieties are about ½- to 1-inch long, usually yellow and black in color, or occasionally yellow and orange. Carpenter bees, however, have less or no yellow; this is because their abdomens don’t have hair on top and are shiny black instead. Honey bees are covered in hair over their entire bodies.

Behavior

Honey bees are social insects, but carpenter bees are solitary. Female carpenter bees are typically the builders, drilling into unfinished wooden surfaces or treetops to lay their eggs, as opposed to honey bees, which construct nests as a hive. The male carpenter bee guards the female while it works; the males do not have stingers, but aggressively buzz and divebomb anything they perceive as a threat to the nest. The females do have stingers but are less aggressive. They will sting other organisms that touch them, however.

Location

Carpenter bees are often known to create their tunnels in the wooden surfaces of human-built structures. They seek out wood that is unpainted and unfinished, such as decks, lawn furniture, or outdoor sheds. They leave a small, round hole in the surface of the wood, beneath which there are often visible stains caused by their defecation. Small amounts of sawdust can often be found on the ground beneath these holes.

When a carpenter bee infestation is located, it’s important to have pest control experts deal with the issue right away before the tunnels lengthen or attract fungal growths and other pests. For residents of Mason, Maineville, Loveland OH, and surrounding areas. BUG-A-PEST, LLC has been dealing with carpenter bees and other pest removal issues for over 28 years. Whether you require someone to provide termite treatments, ant control, or another pest solution, contact them today by visiting them online or calling (513) 459-7700.