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Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa spp.)
- Colorful wood-boring bees -
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Summary: Carpenter bees look like bumble bees but build tunnels in wood to make a nest whereas bumble bees nest in soil. Carpenter bee damage is usually minor but should be repaired.
Jack DeAngelis, PhD
OSU Ext. Entomologist (ret.)
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What are wood boring carpenter bees?
 Carpenter bees (see photo right) are large, colorful wood-boring bees that look somewhat like bumble bees [picture of carpenter bee]. The difference is that bumble bees are uniformly covered with dense hairs whereas carpenter bees have the upper surface of the abdomen bare and shiny black.
Carpenter bees occasionally construct nests in exterior structural or decorative wood such as siding, fascia boards, trim, and log homes. A round hole is chewed in the wood surface then a tunnel is bored, usually at 90 degrees to the entrance (see photo lower right).
The tunnels may be used year after year, and lengthened each year. Damage is caused by this tunnelling which eventually weakens the wood, and the entrance holes that may allow water to penetrate. Entry holes are round and generally about 1/2" in diameter. Tunnels are excavated by female bees using their powerful mandibles and nests are provisioned with pollen which feeds the larvae.
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carpenter bee - a bumble bee look-a-like; photo by USDA/ARS
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Carpenter bee tunnels. Original drawing from Wood-Inhabiting Insects in Houses
by Harry B. Moore, 1979. USDA, Forest Service and HUD.
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Can I stop carpenter bee damage?
Unfinished wood surfaces are far more likely to be attacked than finished wood. Paint works better than stain to resist carpenter bee attack but even just stain is better than no finish at all. The bottom line is that heavier, thicker finishes are best. Softer wood such as pine or fir is generally selected and surfaces in direct sunlight, as compared to shaded areas, are preferred for nesting sites.
Carpenter bee holes should be repaired to prevent bees from enlarging the tunnels year after year. If left open these entrance holes may allow water and rot fungi to attack wood, which in the long run will cause more damage than the bees themselves.
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To repair carpenter bee damage you'll need some exterior caulk and/or a 1/2" wooden plug, and an insecticide to treat around the holes. Several insecticides are available for this application. EcoPCO WPX is a botanical insecticide (see Using Botanical Insecticides) and there are several products that use cypermethrin that are approved for this use, for example Demon WP and Cynoff WP. Since approved usage can change be sure to check the package label for carpenter bees.
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Treat around the entrance holes with insecticide at the approved rate (see label instructions) using a garden sprayer or aerosol spray, allow to dry for several days then seal the hole with caulk and/or a wooden plug, and finish to match the existing surface.
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Jack DeAngelis, Ph.D.
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