Keeping Carpenter Bees Away From Your Raleigh Property

How To Identify Carpenter Bees

One problem with identifying carpenter bees is that they look very similar to bumblebees. Like bumblebees, they are fuzzy with gold and black coloring. However, carpenter bees do not have fuzzy abdomens, instead, they are smooth and shiny. Also, while bumblebees are very fat and round, carpenter bees have a more pinched waist and segmented body. They also have one black dot on their fuzzy yellow thorax and can grow up to an inch in length.

It’s also worth noting that there are several variations of the carpenter bee species. In North Carolina, the Southern carpenter bee is a more likely sighting. These bees are mostly a shiny black color with a few golden hairs on their thorax. They also have shiny, black wings.

Does Anything Instantly Kill Carpenter Bees?

Killing bees is a sensitive topic. Bees are some of our most beneficial, least threatening stinging insects, including the carpenter bee. Though they are not nearly as beneficial as the bumblebee or honey bee, targeting carpenter bees with over-the-counter poisons may also threaten these helpful species that are far more crucial to our environment.

Not only are carpenter bees not aggressive, but they are solitary bees who aren’t likely to do a great amount of damage on their own and can do the local plant population some good. If you feel you must kill the carpenter bees, don’t use over-the-counter poisons on your own. A vinegar-water solution sprayed into their hole will kill them and avoid harming other resident bees.

There are methods to persuade carpenter bees to leave your property without killing them. To keep carpenter bees away and avoid carpenter bee wood damage, try these tips:

• Paint or seal exposed wood, especially your deck, door and window frames, and wooden paneling.
• Put strong-smelling peppermint or lemon essential oils inside their nests.
• Place a relatively loud radio on top of or next to carpenter bee nests.
• Seal cracks and holes around wooden exteriors and furniture.
• Block off carpenter bee nests by stuffing the holes with steel wool.
• Create a wooden alternative using a bee lodge or an attractive piece of wood nearby for carpenter bees to target in place of your home.

It’s understandable to want to keep carpenter bees away, but be sure to weigh the benefits and consequences of carpenter bee treatment by understanding carpenter bee damage and when you should get rid of carpenter bees professionally.

What Damages Can Carpenter Bees Cause In Raleigh?

Carpenter bees in Raleigh target softwood, drilling circular holes in the wood to lay their eggs inside. While they cannot cause extensive structural damage on their own, large numbers of carpenter bees can chew through your wood and create a safety hazard. Perhaps a more serious threat structurally is the woodpecker finding out there are bee larvae inside the newly created holes. Woodpeckers can create significant damage in just a few weeks, whereas a bee will create less damage and stop when its young have hatched and left the nest.

As with most pests, calling for carpenter bee treatment to get rid of carpenter bees professionally becomes essential when you’re dealing with an infestation, meaning there are large numbers of bees causing extensive damage.