CARPENTER BEES CONTROL
What are carpenter bees?
Carpenter bees get their common name from their habit of boring into wood. Carpenter bees do not eat wood but cause damage to structures by drilling circular holes to create tunnels inside wood. Unlike other common bees, such as honeybees and bumble bees that live in colonies, carpenter bees are not social insects and build individual nests into trees outdoors or into the frames, eaves or sides of buildings.
Carpenter Bee
1/4" - 1" long
Yellow or black
6 legs, oval and robust
Signs of an Infestation
The most common signs of a carpenter bee infestation are the round, smooth holes that carpenter bees bore into wood. To identify early damage to buildings, homeowners should regularly inspect the perimeter of the home and surrounding property for the presence of these holes and hovering bees.
Since carpenter bees prefer bare wood, painting and staining wood can sometimes help deter them. However, they will occasionally attack stained or painted wood. To avoid carpenter bees and prevent them from entering the home, seal cracks and crevices along the property’s foundation and walls with a silicone-based caulk, repair any tears in screens, and keep doors closed at all times.
Carpenter Bee Damage
Carpenter bees are a serious property threat and cause structural damage over time if left untreated, especially if they repeatedly bore holes for nesting throughout the property. Furthermore, the large larvae developing into tunnels in homes are oftentimes attractive to woodpeckers that will seek out developing carpenter bees and create more extensive damage to the existing holes.
Bee-Z Pest Control Carpenter Bees Treatment Solution
Looking to get rid of carpenter bees? An appropriately labeled insecticide specifically applied to each gallery can help control developing bees in the wood. Following insecticidal application, the holes should be left for the females to enter and come into contact with the product. After time, the holes can be sealed to prevent any overwintering bees from reusing galleries the next year. Proper bee control can be difficult, so it is advised to contact a licensed pest control professional for proper carpenter bee control. A professional has the knowledge to inspect the property for galleries and choose the appropriate treatment method.