#Carpenter bee traps diy series

Homeowners often notice a buzzing or burrowing sound coming from within the wood this time of year. Repeated boring activities may result in unsightly stains caused by falling bee waste around the entrance hole. Fine sawdust caused by the adult bees excavating activities during the spring of the year will normally be found lying on the ground beneath the gallery entrances. Economic ImportanceĬarpenter bees are nuisance pests in most cases, but they can cause considerable structural damage from repeated colonization of the same area. The egg hatches and the larva (grub stage) develops to the adult, which chews through the cell partition and emerges in late summer. Females supplies each cell with “bee bread” (a mixture of pollen and nectar), lay an egg on the food mass, and seals off each cell with chewed wood pulp.

#Carpenter bee traps diy series

Females may use an old abandoned nest tunnel or excavate a new gallery to lay her eggs within a series of six to eight cells. The adults emerge in the spring (April and May), mate, and search for nest sites. Life CycleĪdult female and male carpenter bees overwinter in abandoned nest tunnels in which they have stored small amounts of pollen. The male carpenter bee can be identified by having white markings on the head. The bumble bee has a hairy abdomen black or yellow in color. The carpenter bee can be identified by having bright yellow, orange or white hairs on the thorax and shiny black abdomen. Carpenter bees are robust, heavy-bodied bees that range three-quarters inch to one inch in length. Carpenter bees nest in excavated wooden tunnels. Homeowners often refer to these large, dark-colored insects as bumble bees because of their similarities in size and appearance. The female does have a stinger but rarely stings. Although the male is aggressive, it does not have a stinger, making it harmless. The male carpenter bee is very territorial and protects its nesting sites by hoovering and attacking intruders. Homeowners are often frightened by these pesky black bees that fly erratically around their homes. Male Carpenter Bee (notice white/yellow marking on head between eyes)