Eastern Carpenter Bee
                          (Xylocopa virginica)

Is that bee watching me as it hovers in the air like a helicopter? If that bee looks like a Bumble bee with a shiny abdomen it is most likely a Carpenter bee searching for mates and favorable sites to construct their nests. Male carpenter bees have no stinger however are quite aggressive, often hovering in front of people who are around. Female Carpenter bees can inflict a painful sting but seldom will unless they are handled.

Despite their similar appearance, the nesting habits of the two types of bees are quite different. Bumble bees usually nest in the ground whereas Carpenter bees tunnel into wood to lay their eggs. Bare, unpainted or weathered softwoods are preferred. Painted or pressure-treated wood is much less susceptible to attack. Common nesting sites include eaves, window trim, fascia boards, siding, wooden shakes, decks and fences.  

Carpenter bees over winter as adults in wood within abandoned nest tunnels. They emerge in the spring, usually in April or May. After mating, the fertilized females excavate tunnels in wood and lay their eggs within a series of small cells. The cells are provisioned with a ball of pollen on which the larvae feed, emerging as adults in late summer. The entrance hole and tunnels are perfectly round and about the diameter of your finger. Coarse sawdust the color of fresh cut wood will often be splattered beneath the entry hole, and burrowing sounds may be heard from within the wood. Female carpenter bees may excavate new tunnels for eggs, or enlarge and reuse old ones. The extent of damage to wood which has been utilized for nesting year after year may be considerable. 

                             TREATMENT

ENCON has a very thorough process for the elimination of Carpenter Bees from your home. We use only approved products registered for bees and guarantee results.