You probably know termites can create extensive damage to a home or business, but did you know carpenter bees also have the potential to damage your property? These bees tunnel into wood (unlike termites, which consume it) and use the tunnels to raise offspring and as a harborage. Although carpenter bees can be helpful as pollinators, if they are digging into your wooden structure and continue this activity over a period of time, they can turn into a real problem. While carpenter bee stings are rare and typically only occur if the bee feels threatened, the structural damage they cause can be significant.
If you think carpenter bees are attacking your structure, get in touch with a professional to combat the issue. An Ehrlich technician can apply treatments to take care of the problem. We know how to properly manage pest carpenter bees and understand how to get rid of them.
Contact us at 800-837-5520 or reach out online to learn more today.
If carpenter bees are tunneling into your home or business, you will likely need to pay for treatment from a pest control company. Here’s the good news: Ehrlich technicians are equipped to handle carpenter bee issues and are trained in bee control, so you can be confident that we will help eliminate the problems.
Although it may seem like a hassle to deal with carpenter bees, the damage can worsen each year if they are not treated. As more and more wood is damaged, the repair costs can rise. This is why it’s crucial to eradicate the bees as soon as you notice signs of them. Below, we explore why carpenter bee damage can be costly.
The name “carpenter bee” comes from these insects’ wood-digging activity. So, watch out for holes that are dime-sized and almost completely round. More than one carpenter bee can use a single piece of wood. Their jaws allow them to dig tunnels.
You may see these wood-boring bees during the late spring and early summer as they become active. Mating takes place in the spring.
Carpenter bee damage doesn’t happen all at once. These bees dig into exposed wood to create long tunnels where they place their eggs. They can make new passages of wood, use passages that have already been created, or enlarge previously-built passages. This can slowly weaken the wood from the inside, especially around areas like roof edges, beams, and support posts. The females also put a food source (made of pollen and nectar) into the cells for the larvae, and the cells are sealed. After the bees become adults, they start coming out during the late summer and may feed prior to spending the winter inside holes.
Because this damage isn’t always visible at first, it can go unnoticed until boards begin to split, sag, or show signs of stress. Female carpenter bees often choose unpainted or untreated wood, which means decks, trim, and outdoor furniture are all at risk if untreated.
If you’ve spotted multiple holes close together, the structure may already be compromised. A professional inspection can help you find out whether the wood is still sound or needs to be replaced.
Once bees make their nests in wood, the damage might not stop there. Woodpeckers are known to follow, tearing into wood to feed on bee larvae. This pecking can cause splintering, dents, and further wear around the tunnels.
You might also notice dark marks around the entrance hole. These come from droppings the bees leave behind. Over time, this staining can build up and be hard to remove, especially on siding or painted surfaces.
Both the added woodpecker activity and the stains are secondary signs of carpenter bee wood damage. If you see them, get in touch with our pest control professionals.
Figuring out the total cost to get rid of carpenter bees includes more than just pest control. If bees have been active for several seasons, you may also need to repair or replace parts of your home. This could include trim, railings, or decking, especially if they’re made from soft, untreated wood.
The carpenter bee treatment cost itself depends on how much of the property is affected. In some cases, you may only need a single service, but larger or long-term infestations may require multiple visits. Professional help is the best way to make sure the problem is handled fully.
If you’re wondering, “How much does pest control cost for carpenter bees?” or what kind of repairs might be needed, our team will conduct a thorough inspection and then provide a detailed breakdown of the treatment options, costs, and frequency.
Carpenter bees damage wood in ways that are different from other pests, and they don’t usually show up in large numbers. That’s why spotting early warning signs is important. Just like with other types of bees, paying attention to their behavior can help you catch the issue before it grows.
The first clue is often a near-perfect round hole on a wooden surface. These are made when female carpenter bees start tunneling. They usually show up on the underside of trim, rails, or overhangs. The holes are often about the size of a dime and may look neat, but they can lead to deeper damage inside.
If you see a fresh pile of sawdust beneath a hole, there’s a good chance it came from bee activity. As they dig, the bees push out wood shavings and waste, creating a small mound. This sign, often found in early spring, is one of the clearest signs of an active tunnel.
Sometimes you can hear adult bees moving inside the wood. This buzzing sound is quiet but steady, and it usually happens during the day when bees are most active. If it seems like the sound is coming from inside the structure, there may be nests nearby.
Look for yellow or brown streaks near tunnel entrances. These marks are caused by bee droppings and can build up over time. If you see stains along wood trim or eaves, check closely for holes or other signs of tunneling.
As carpenter bees favor unpainted or untreated wood, treating externally facing wood is a useful preventative measure.
But if carpenter bees are already digging into your wood, you should not try to get rid of them yourself. A pest control professional equipped to manage bee problems is your best choice for eradicating them and protecting your property from future damage. Carpenter bees are also covered by PestFree365+1, our year-round protection plan, which can help identify pest problems and prevent them before infestations take hold.
Contact us today to get more details on how we can help you get rid of carpenter bees.
Yes, they can over time. While a single tunnel may not seem like a big issue, repeated carpenter bee damage, especially in load-bearing wood, can lead to sagging, cracking, or even failure of parts of your structure. Tunnels reused or expanded each year pose the biggest risk.
Look for round entry holes, piles of sawdust, and yellowish stains on or under wooden surfaces. You might also hear a faint buzzing or notice woodpeckers, which go after the larvae inside the tunnels. If you see more than one of these signs, it’s time to get a professional assessment.
Not typically. Female carpenter bees can sting, but they usually won’t unless handled or threatened. Males can’t sting but may hover close to people or act territorial near their nesting area, which can seem alarming but isn’t dangerous.
Carpenter bees are drawn to unpainted softwoods, especially if the wood is weathered or exposed. They often pick spots under eaves, along trim, or in railings where the surface is easy to bore into and protected from rain and wind.
You might reduce activity using store-bought sprays or by sealing holes, but these methods usually only help short term. For full protection and to avoid repeat infestations, it's best to have a technician inspect and treat the area. They can also help with advice on prevention and long-term control.
Eastern carpenter bees are a common type of carpenter bee in the eastern U.S., and therefore they are one pest that could affect your home or business. This insect is around one inch in length; females have black faces, but males have yellow faces. Their back legs have hairs.
1 Treatments and Covered Pests defined in your Plan. Limitations apply. See Plan for details.
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