Carpenter Bees can look like Bumble Bees; large, with yellow and black patterns. They are about 1” and may have some metallic reflections ranging from dark blue, yellow, green or purple tints. Their abdomens are shiny, which differ from Bumble Bees that have more hair. They are commonly sighted in the spring hovering like a helicopter around eaves, arbors, pergolas, and under deck railings. Unless grabbed with your bare hand, it is highly unusual to be stung by a Carpenter Bee.

Carpenter Bees are often called “wood bees” because they bore into wood. They drill almost perfect 3/8” holes in the wood, going up and over at a 90 degree angle, and then deposit their larva. These channels do not go completely through the wood.

Although they are a wood boring insect, they are not considered a true structural pest and do not spread throughout the entire structure. They prefer unpainted or unfinished wood and especially cedar wood.

Woodpeckers may attack the channels to consume the larva causing extensive damage to the wood of your property.

To learn how Scat Pest Control can provide preventative measures for this pest at your home or business,  contact us today at 317.758.6300