Carpenter bee control

Although carpenter bees are considered very important for the pollination of trees and flowers, they can be a real nuisance in and around your home. Carpenter bees are generally harmless to humans but can cause damage to structural wood elements.

Hiring a pest control professional to treat your home is the best way to get rid of carpenter bees as DIY solutions are highly ineffective. Turn to the experts in carpenter bee control. Schedule a site survey or give Rentokil a call at 1-888-646-2902 to speak with a pest expert live.

Recognizing carpenter bees

Carpenter bees emerge in the spring months to reproduce, build a nest and lay eggs.

Carpenter bees range from 1.9cm to 2.54cm long and can often be detected hovering around the outside of your home. They resemble bumble bees, but the upper surface of their abdomen is hairless and shiny black.

A characteristic that differs from many other types of bees, carpenter bees generally tunnel into wood to lay their eggs, creating “gallery-like” damage to wood.

Common nesting sites are generally on the exterior and include fascia boards, eaves, window trim, deck posts and rails as well as wooden outdoor furniture.

Typical signs of carpenter bees in and around your home are:

• Erratic flying - male carpenter bees are very territorial and fly erratically around humans to protect their nests.
• Noise - they emit a similar sound to bumble bees.
• Yellow/Brown stains - caused by excrement deposited below entry holes into wood.
• Damaged wood - the appearance of nearly perfectly round 1.27cm in holes in wood, with piles of sawdust underneath the opening. Carpenter bees do not eat wood, they excavate it to build their nests.
• Stings - the females are able to sting but only do so if intimidated.

How to keep carpenter bees away

You can take preventive measures to deter carpenter bee activity at your home, by:

• Ongoing maintenance including painting or varnishing exposed wood surfaces.
• Removing weathered or decayed wood exposed on the exterior of the building.
• Using pressure treated wood at exterior areas of the structure consistently exposed to moisture possible.
• Capping exposed wood with vinyl or aluminum.

Carpenter bee FAQs

• How to get rid of carpenter bees? - Gaining access to and treating carpenter bee activity can be challenging and it is best to seek out professional pest control services to deal with menacing carpenter bee problems.
• Do carpenter bees sting? - Unlike some types of wasps and hornets, Carpenter bees are solitary bees, so they do not live in colonies and will rarely sting humans. If you believe you or a family member is allergic to bee stings, exercise extreme caution around carpenter bees.
• Do carpenter bees eat wood? - Carpenter bees do not eat wood. They excavate the wood to create chambers from where they can rear their offspring.
• How do carpenter bees drill holes in wood? - Female carpenter bees will drill a circular hole in the wood typically half an inch wide. After initially boring the hole, the carpenter bee hole will turn at a right angle with the grain of the wood. The galleries the bees create can grow to 3m in length when drilled by multiple bees.

How to get rid of carpenter bees

Proper bee control can be time-consuming and difficult. Carpenter bees are known to be aggressive if their nest is disturbed, so it is advised to contact a licensed pest control professional for proper carpenter bee removal. A pest control professional has the knowledge and training needed to inspect the property for nests and choose the appropriate treatment method that will ensure the bees will not return to your property.

The experts in carpenter bee control

Rentokil Technicians are skilled, experienced professionals – they are certified, licensed applicators, and are required to participate in regular training programs to maintain their expertise. They understand the habits of carpenter bees and use that knowledge when developing a control program for your home. They also have respect for you, your home, your family and your time.

At Rentokil, we pride ourselves on fast, responsive service every day. Our Technicians are constantly trained in the latest bee control, removal and prevention techniques. We will identify the location of the nest and magnitude of the infestation you have on your property. We will then make sure that our removal efforts are effective.

If you would like further advice or have a carpenter bee problem and would like to schedule a visit by a Rentokil Technicians, contact us online or call us free at 1-888-646-2902.