Being able to tell certain pests apart isn’t just useful for addressing the problem, it’s crucial for making sure that you aren’t caught off guard by a more destructive kind of pest than you bargained for. Carpenter bees look similar to other common bee species but they pose different problems. Learning how to spot them and act quickly to prevent colonies from forming will help you protect your property from the damage carpenter bees can cause.
What Are Carpenter Bees?
Carpenter bees are unique to the bee family. Rather than build their hives out of wax that they produce to form honeycombs, carpenter bees instead drill into wood to form incubation tunnels for their eggs. They are often mistaken for bumblebees, however, because they look similar and are often seen feeding on pollen just like other garden variety bee populations. But there are key features to look out for if you see bees around your property:
- Size: Carpenter bees are typically a bit smaller than bumblebees, with wings that are slightly smaller as well.
- Color: Carpenter bees have yellow and black fuzz on their rears, which is what makes them look so similar to bumblebees.
- Sheen: Unlike bumblebees, carpenter bees aren’t uniformly furry. Instead, they have bare, shiny abdomens that make them look like a cross between a bee and a fly.
How To Tell If You Have Them
It’s not likely that they’ll land long enough for you to spot the often subtle physical characteristics that let you tell these bees apart. Instead, people’s first sign that they have a carpenter bee problem is, unfortunately, the damage they cause. Here are some potential signs that an infestation is already growing:
- Holes: Carpenter bees get their name from their ability to bore into wood and form holes that they crawl inside of to tend to their eggs. If you spot small holes in or around your home, it’s a sign that carpenter bees, or perhaps, other wood-boring pests like ants and termites, are already there.
- Frass: The other evidence of wood-boring is the fine sawdust left around the sight of their tunnels. If you spot piles or streaks of this frass left around, act fast to avoid more serious damage.
- Warping: As wood-boring pests drill through materials, the surface of the wood warps, too. This can result in bulging or buckling wood around your property.
Carpenter Bee Prevention For Your Property
In order to avoid the damage that carpenter bees cause, you need to keep up on prevention long before those obvious signs can form. Here are ways you can reduce your risk of a bee infestation:
- Landscaping: Keeping grass trimmed low and branches from becoming bushy will reduce landing areas and potential nesting grounds for bees.
- Water: Bees are attracted to standing water sources and areas where condensation forms out in your yard. Consider removing water features and address pools that form by draining them quickly.
- Rooflines: Using metal flashing and keeping rooflines in good repair can limit access for carpenter bees and other pests.
- Treatments: The surest way to keep yard pests away is through seasonal treatments administered by experts. Contact your local pest control office to learn more.
Contact The Pros Today
Rather than worry about proper pest identification and prevention yourself, the smart course for local property owners is to turn to experts. At All-Safe Pest & Termite, you can trust us to spot destructive pests long before they have a chance to cause costly damage. We can not only help you with overall pest prevention, we can quickly address existing problems before they become worse. Get started today by scheduling an inspection of your property.
For true protection from carpenter bees and other wood-damaging pests, contact All-Safe Pest & Termite.