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.

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 only 70% effective even when properly placed and maintained. Always consult with a professional pest control company to avoid danger to you or your loved ones and to address infestations quickly and effectively.

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 and safest method to address an infestation is to contact your local pest control company to identify the level of infestation and address any access points. 

Yes, carpenter bees often return to the same locations annually. Young bees frequently reuse and expand old tunnels created by previous generations. This behavior makes sealing old holes in fall (September-October) crucial for preventing future infestations. Female bees can detect old nests from up to 50 feet away.