Problems Carpenter Bees Cause

If you saw a carpenter bee, would you know it? Most don't recognize these big fat bees when they see them because carpenter bees look a lot like bumblebees. But this is one bee you don't want to misidentify. 

Quick Carpenter Bee Identification

We all know what a bumblebee looks like. They're the big, puffy, black and yellow bees that fly around our flower pots and gardens. If you see a big, puffy, black and yellow bee that is entirely black from the middle of its body to the tip of its abdomen, you're looking at a carpenter bee. This is a visual characteristic that can be seen from several feet away. If you happen to be more than several feet away, you can also identify these bees by where they hang out. While carpenter bees pollinate flowers and can be in locations that bumblebees hang out, bumblebees don't generally hang out in carpenter bee locations. Carpenter bees establish their nests in wood. Bumblebees do not. If you see big bees up near your roofline, there is little chance that you're looking at a bumblebee.

Quick Guide to Carpenter Bee Damage

It is probably carpenter bee damage if:

• You find circular holes bored into wood. The holes made by carpenter bees are remarkable round. You're likely to find these in decks, railings, stairs, soffits, and more.
• You see holes that look like Morse code running up your roofline or along a railing on your deck.
• You see a trench in a piece of untreated wood.
• You see sawdust on the ground outside, and there have been big, fat bees buzzing around in that location.

When carpenter bees attack a home, the damage they do is accumulative. Over time they can weaken stairs and railings, cause foundations to crack, make the corners of decks sink, and create structure pressure on a home. More so than anything else, they make unsightly holes everywhere. No home is better with carpenter bees around.

Protect your investment from these frustrating wood-boring bees. If you live in our Pennsylvania service area, let Witt Pest Management assist you with trusted pest control methods and products. We are Pittsburgh's Oldest and most advanced pest control company. Find out what over a century of experience will do to safeguard your property.