Avoid The Sting of Carpenter Bees With These Tips!

Spring is soon approaching, which means there’s a higher chance of a carpenter bee infestation in or around your home. We’ll help you avoid the sting of carpenter bees with these tips…

 

 

WOOD is the main thing that attracts these bees. Their favorite kind of wood to attack is Redwood, Cedar, Cypress, and Pine.

 

Their FAVORITE nesting sites include eaves, rafters, siding, decks, and outdoor furniture. There are over 500 species of the carpenter bee. 5 of these species are in the US.

 

MOST IMPORTANTLY,   as much as wood attracts the bees, they DO NOT eat it! They just build tunnels for shelter to raise their young.

 
 

THEY ARE MOST SPRUNG IN THE SPRING!

  • The bees hibernate during the winter… the springtime is when they are out and about.
  • Male carpenter bees are harmless, but female carpenter bees can sting but only do so when provoked.
  • The BEST time to control carpenter bees is before tunnels are fully constructed.

 

Other Carpenter Bee Facts:

  • Female carpenter bees bore into wood, excavating a tunnel to lay their eggs.
  • The entrance hole is perfectly round and about the diameter of a small finger.
  • Carpenter bees do not eat wood, they create those tunnels or “entrance holes” for shelter.
  • There are over 500 species of the carpenter bee (5 of these species are in the US).
  • They are known for evacuating holes in wood and prefer unpainted, weathered wood.
  • They enjoy the nectar of flowers.
  • The holes may only appear an inch or two deep, the size can vary to as long as four feet. The more holes they create, the more susceptible you are to damage.

 

HOW TO MINIMIZE THE STING OF FUTURE CARPENTER BEE PROBLEMS 

  • Make your home inhospitable to them! They love unpainted, old wood.
  • Wood shingles, shakes, siding, eaves and shutters are all objects of attack.
  • Make sure to paint over the bare wood in your home or cover it up with finishes.
  • The bees will create these tunnels in the wood at any given opportunity.

Sources: 
http://www.allisonpest.com/blog/2014/07/14/five-fun-facts-about-carpenter-bees/
https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef611 ; 
https://www.pestwiki.com/carpenter-bee-facts/
https://www.natureswaypestcontrol.com/learning-center/faq/carpenter-bee-facts/

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