Date Posted: March 16, 2020
Category: Carpenter Bees
Dealing with pests in your home or business can be extremely frustrating no matter what kind of pest you’re dealing with. However, some pests can be more of an issue than others because they are hard to get rid of or because they cause damage or health issues. Some pests can also be rather intimidating to encounter for a Boston homeowner or business owner.
Carpenter bees are one of these intimidating pests because they are large bees with a fuzzy appearance. While these bees aren’t usually aggressive and don’t usually sting, they can do damage to your property. The best way to know if you have carpenter bees is to learn how to identify them. Here are what carpenter bees look like:
- They have fuzzy heads.
- Their abdomens are large and black.
- They look similar to bumblebees but they aren’t fuzzy all over. They also don’t have the same black and yellow stripes but instead, have a solid black abdomen.
The Good And Bad Of Carpenter Bees
While you don’t have to worry about carpenter bees being aggressive like you would with wasps, they are not pests you want around because they can do damage to homes and other buildings and structures. This is because these bees nest in wood. As they build homes in wood, often softwood found in sheds, decks, and the inside of homes, they drill small holes to lay their eggs in. They can end up doing a great deal of damage to your home or business including:
- Holes in the side of the building.
- Scratching sounds that come from the inside of walls.
- Wood shavings underneath these small holes.
While you don’t want to have carpenter bees causing damage to your home or building, there are some good things about these bees that can’t be ignored. Just like other bees, this species pollinates plants including gardens and crops. This is very important for pollination for the food that we eat.
Prevention Tips
While carpenter bees can be a good species because they pollinate plants, they aren’t something you want around your home or business. There are some prevention steps you can take to keep them away. With spring on the horizon, it’s an especially good time to practice stinging insect prevention tips. Here are some things you can do:
- Put paint or varnish on wood that is untreated. This can be somewhat of a deterrent and prevent the damage from getting really bad.
- Fill up any already existing holes with caulk.
- Contact professional pest control services.
It’s especially important to contact the professionals if you have evidence or suspicion of carpenter bees doing damage to a building that you own.
Getting Rid of Carpenter Bee Infestations
While prevention tips can help, you may still encounter these bees. If you do, the best way to get rid of them safely and effectively is to contact the professional team at Big Blue Bug Solutions. With over 80 years of experience, we are able to get rid of these pests from around your home or business for good. Give us a call to learn more about our services in the Boston area.
