Table of Contents
What Are Carpenter Bees?
Many people are already familiar with bees. They likely also know different bee species exist. Take the hornet and the wasp, for example. While both fly and sting, they are two entirely different species. Carpenter bees are another species. These are solitary species that can grow anywhere from ½ inch to 1 ½ inch in length. The males will be a combination of black and orange, while the females will be a solid black. Give the similar appearance of the carpenter bee and the bumblebee, these are two species that are commonly mistaken for each other. This isn’t the case at all, as the bumblebee does not have a hairy abdomen. The carpenter bee’s abdomen is hairy yet shiny.
Why Do People Have Carpenter Bees?
Given their name, you’ve probably already drawn the conclusion that carpenter bees like wood. If you’ve drawn this conclusion, you would be right. However, this is where misconceptions come in. It understandable as to why this is the case, but here is the truth. Carpenter bees do like wood, but they prefer unstained, unpainted, and weathered wood for nesting. In addition to this, they do not eat the wood. They just tunnel through it. Pretty interesting, yet you can likely see where some of the confusion comes in. Another interesting side note, carpenter bees are overwintering pests but will return to the same wood spot year after year if not properly treated.
What this simply means is, if you have carpenter bees it’s because they are looking for shelter or returning to a previous shelter.
Risk Associated With Carpenter Bees
Both the male and female carpenter bees have stingers located in the abdomens. However, neither of the species is that aggressive. Yes, they’ll sting, but only when they feel threatened. Females might not even sting them. When touched or approached, the males will definitely sting, so you have to be careful about just creeping up on their nest. Unfortunately, this makes elimination a bit difficult. Another thing to keep in mind is, some people have reported allergic reactions after being stung. The venom when combine with human blood can cause allergic reactions and some individuals and could potentially result in death in the worst situations.
The carpenter bee not only poses a structural threat, but it poses a health threat as well. You can already see the importance of eliminating these critters as soon as possible.
How Do You Get Rid Of Carpenter Bees?
Saying that you are going to eliminate carpenter bees from your property is one thing. Doing it is an entirely different thing. Eliminating carpenter bees from a piece of property can be difficult because of the complex tunnels these critters build. They’ll burrow into your wood structures and build complex tunnels to house their colonies. Although a solitary critter, the carpenter bee can build massive tunneling systems and colonies capable of housing hundreds to thousands. Luckily, this is something we are more than adept at. Over the years, we’ve developed several different effective ways of dealing with carpenter bees. All you have to do is give us a call!
Can I Get Rid Of Carpenter Bees Myself?
Any professional is going to recommend against do-it-yourself methods. However, so might recommend against them for different reasons. We recommend against them because they are ineffective. This is not to say that you won’t have some success with over-the-counter chemicals and treatments because that would be a lie. You will have some success, but you will never be able to fully and effectively eliminate your carpenter bee with over-the-counter methods. Want to know why?
Over-the-counter chemicals don’t contain all the necessary ingredients to properly kill carpenter bees. Yes, there are some natural and over-the-counter chemicals that will kill carpenter bees, but they aren’t as effective as the chemicals the pros use. The ones we utilize are ones that can only be distributed, used, and bought by licensed and certified pros. Anyone utilizing these chemicals without the proper licensing will be doing so illegally. This is something you’ll want to keep in mind when choosing a pest management professional.
Are There Safer Alternatives?
Thanks to the advances in the pest management industry along with the increases in technology, there are now a variety of new pest treatments available. Pest treatments that are greener and more eco-friendly. Unfortunately, these treatments are not viable for every situation, but when they are, we recommend them. All you have to do is give our offices a call and we’ll dispatch out an assessor to evaluate your property. He or she will perform a full assessment of the home and determine whether or not you qualify for safer alternatives.
When Will You Get Here?
You can probably surmise from our qualifications that we stay busy all year round. Yes, we are busy all year round, but this doesn’t mean we aren’t more than willing to go the extra mile to help those in need. Whether you have questions, concerns, need us out at the property after hours, or just want to speak to someone about pest management options, we are here for you. All you have to do is give our offices a call. We’ll have our inspector out at the property within the next 24 to 48 hours. All that being said, we do have emergency services available for the right individuals if and when they are needed. It’s just up to you to give us a call.
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