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Blog: Carpenter bees - building a home in your home

Carpenter bees are large, fuzzy bees that look a lot like their cousin the bumble bee, with its yellow and black coloring. They are pollinators to native plant and crops as they pick up and transfer pollen.
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Carpenter bees are large, fuzzy bees that look a lot like their cousin the bumble bee, with its yellow and black coloring. They are pollinators to native plant and crops as they pick up and transfer pollen. Although these bees are normally not hostile, when it comes to your house they can be destructive. Similar to the carpenter ant, they have the same potential to destroy the structure of your home and other buildings. They nest in soft wood (unlike hard wood that furniture is made of) which is what used to build homes, sheds, and decks. They drill holes that are about 3 cm in diameter and 30 cm deep, then they lay eggs in the tunnel. After one carpenter bee chews a hole in the side of your home, they leave behind pheromones that draw more bees to the same area. Untreated holes and structural damage attract other pests, mold, and staining on the wood. Carpenter bees can be controlled by applying insecticide and caulking the hole.

Go Green Pest Control owner Randy Bilesky is a long-time South Delta resident. Trained and certified, Bilesky has first-hand knowledge of the pest problems that local homeowners and business owners encounter.