![]() The tropical carpenter bee is a very large, robust, solitary bee. It was first scientifically described by the English entomologist, Dru Drury in 1773, and is a member of the group of solitary bees (Family Apidae). It often makes long deep tunnels in wooden rafters, fallen trees, telephone poles and the like, but is not found in living trees. As its name suggests, this bee inhabits forests in warm tropical climates and constructs nests by burrowing into wood. And sign up for our FREE newsletter here for daily health, nutrition, and fitness advice.Xylocopa latipes, the tropical carpenter bee, is a species of carpenter bee widely dispersed throughout Southeast Asia. Go here to subscribe to Prevention and get 12 FREE gifts. Support from readers like you helps us do our best work. “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 carpenter bee problems,” he says. If you have a lot of holes or you suspect that your carpenter bee issue has been going on for a while, Matts says it’s time to call a professional. When should I call a pro about my carpenter bee problem? This sounds like it could work-and it might-but Hottel says trying to suck up the larva out of the holes or the bees in the air can be “impractical and difficult to do in practice.” “A trap might catch a few bees, but won’t protect your entire house if it has conditions favorable for carpenter bee nesting,” Hottel says. You can place them next to areas where the bees have already drilled into your property to try to attract and trap them. These traps ( like this one on Amazon) are designed to look like a carpenter bee’s nesting site. “Insecticide foams and dusts labeled for carpenter bees can be used inside the holes the carpenter bees make to kill the adults and larva,” Hottel says. There are several types available at home supply stores, including sprays and powders you can apply around the holes. You’re especially looking for the males who are protective of their territory. Lots of bees have been buzzing around.Hottel says you’re looking for the presence of a yellowish combination of pollen and bee poop near the entrance hole. The bees may leave this under where the hole is drilled. These entrance holes are about the diameter of your finger. He says can usually spot an infestation with these signs: Hottel recommends double-checking wood decks and railings (including the undersides) for signs of carpenter bees. How to tell if you have a carpenter bee infestation “These holes also may allow for moisture and decay to get deeper into the wood.”Īnother concern to consider, according to Hottel: Woodpeckers like to eat carpenter bees and may do extra damage if they discover the bees on your property. That means several bees might use the same entrance hole in a piece of wood, but have separate galleries and nests inside.Īs for your home? “The tunnels made by the bees can be reused year after year and may go deep into wood, possibly compromising structural integrity,” Matts says. While they’re solitary bees, they “can occur in large numbers,” Hottel says. Once carpenter bees burrow into the wood, they’ll lay their eggs in the holes. “They have even been found making holes in wooden lawn furniture.” “They make holes in siding soffits, decks, posts, and the painted or bare wood of barns and sheds, especially when the paint is old,” Hottel says. Where can you find carpenter bees near your home? While carpenter bees usually won’t bother you, they can mess with the wood structures and trees around your home, and that can be a pain to deal with. Instead, “they evacuate the wood to create chambers for where they can rear their offspring,” explains Ben Hottel, Ph.D., technical services manager at Orkin. However, their abdomen is typically black without yellow markings and they can be rather large-up to an inch long.Īnd “unlike honey or bumble bees, carpenter bees nest in wood rather than in the ground,” Matts says, so they leave behind round, drill-like holes. It’s easy to assume that all bees are pretty similar, but that’s not always the case-especially when it comes to carpenter bees.Ĭarpenter bees usually have a furry abdomen like bumble bees, explains Emory Matts, M.S., a board-certified entomologist and technical services manager for Western Exterminator Company.
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