Like other bees, carpenter bees are attracted to flowers. If you have lots of flowers in your yard, you’ll likely find these bees mingling with bumblebees, butterflies, and other pollinators. They’re also attracted to untreated wood, which can make fences, decks, and sheds, as well as wood siding. Carpenter bees also search for old nests that they can use and expand.

Carpenter bees aren't necessarily dangerous to you personally. The biggest threat that carpenter bees pose is to your home. If they have a large enough population, carpenter bees can cause extensive damage as they tunnel through your home, eventually compromising its structural integrity. These bees aren’t aggressive, but some individuals may have an allergic reaction if stung.

Contrary to popular belief, carpenter bees don’t eat wood—they use their mandibles to carve out tunnels, then push the sawdust out. Instead, Carpenter bees eat nectar like other bees. Carpenter bees feed their larvae “bee bread,” which is a mixture of pollen and nectar or honey.

Yes, Carpenter bees can sting you, but only some of them. Female carpenter bees are the ones who have stingers, and they’re capable of stinging more than once. However, they’re unlikely to do so unless you provoke them by attempting to handle them or poking your fingers into their burrows. Male carpenter bees are the ones you’ll see guarding the nest and while they might act aggressively by flying at you, they can’t sting you.

Carpenter bees have shiny, black, hairless abdomens while bumblebees are fuzzy all over with yellow stripes. Carpenter bees are solitary and drill into wood; bumblebees are social and nest in the ground. Carpenter bees hover aggressively but males can't sting; bumblebees are generally docile but all can sting.

Carpenter bee traps are 70% effective when properly placed and maintained. Install traps 15-20 feet away from structures you want to protect, at the same height as existing holes. Traps work best as part of an integrated approach combining deterrents and hole sealing.

Yes, carpenter bees can cause significant damage to decks over time. While they don't eat wood, their tunneling can weaken deck boards and railings. A severe infestation can compromise structural integrity within 3-5 years. Soft woods like pine and cedar are most vulnerable.

Carpenter bees are most active during warm, sunny afternoons between 11 AM and 4 PM. They're least active at dawn and dusk, making evening (after 7 PM) the safest and most effective time to apply treatments or seal holes.

No, carpenter bees will not go away on their own. Without intervention, populations increase yearly as new generations expand existing tunnels. A single untreated hole can become a 10-foot gallery system within 2-3 years, potentially causing structural damage.

The fastest method is applying insecticidal dust directly into active holes at dusk when bees are inside. This eliminates bees within 24-48 hours. For immediate deterrence without killing, spray almond oil extract directly into holes and play loud bass music near the nest for 30 minutes.