Bees are a unique pest because they are both problematic and extremely important for the health of our planet. Carpenter bees, in particular, are a dangerous pest to have around your home. However, they are also important pollinators.
How much do you know about carpenter bees? Here’s a quick guide to these stinging insects and their contribution to our survival. Learn how to safely keep pests away from your Bristol home with the help of American Pest Solutions.
Identifying Carpenter Bees
Carpenter bees can be difficult to tell apart from bumblebees. They are between a half-inch to an inch long with round bodies similar to bumblebees. The biggest difference is that carpenter bees have shiny black abdomens while bumblebees' abdomens are fuzzy and striped.
Male carpenter bees have a yellow face, while female carpenter bees have a black face. The females are the only ones that can sting. Males can’t sting, but they are incredibly territorial and will fly around your face or dive at you to try and protect the nest.
Carpenter Bee Benefits
As we mentioned before, carpenter bees help pollinate. Pollination allows for plants and flowers to become fertilized and grow. About a third of our food depends on pollination from carpenter bees, bumblebees, and honeybees.
Carpenter Bee Dangers
Even with the benefits of pollination, carpenter bees are considered a pest when they’re near your home. This is because they build their nests inside of wood. Carpenter bees will get into the wooden exterior of your home, the porch, and even wooden playsets. Their tunnels and nests can damage the integrity of this wood and cause significant property damage. And female carpenter bees can sting and will sting you if they feel threatened or in danger. Bee stings can result in severe allergic reactions for some individuals and are extremely painful even for people who aren’t allergic.
Avoid Attracting Carpenter Bees
How can you keep carpenter bees from nesting in the wood of your home? The easiest way to prevent carpenter bees is to paint or stain any unfinished wood. Wood that is old, soft, and unfinished is easiest for carpenter bees to get into. Paint wood and repair damaged wood to avoid attracting them. You can also attract carpenter bees to your home if you have wood in the yard close to the house, such as woodpiles, debris, stumps, or old structures.
One last tip for avoiding carpenter bees is to limit their access to food. If you have flowers, plant them further from the house so you don’t attract bees. You should also make sure that you don’t have sugary foods or drinks outside and be certain that outdoor garbage bins are sealed.
Getting Help With Carpenter Bees
If you need more information about how to identify carpenter bees, how to prevent them, or how to get rid of them, call American Pest Solutions. We’ve spent years protecting homes from pests like these. Not only do we have the experience to correctly identify the species of bee, but we can also help you put preventative measures into place.
Since carpenter bees are important pollinators, we can look into solutions that involve relocating carpenter bees instead of killing them. It’s important to protect your home from these damaging stinging insects but it is also important to protect our planet. Let us help. Reach out to APS today.