While there are many species of Carpenter Bee species around the world, if you live in New Jersey, the odds are that you’re dealing with Xylocopa Virginica.
Commonly referred to as the Eastern Carpenter Bee, the Virginica is almost indecipherable from the common Bumblebee – both are big, black, yellow and fuzzy.
Carpenter Bees, however, nest in wood whereas Bumblebees choose to nest in the ground.
The most common areas for nesting are:
- Roof eaves
- Trim around windows and infrequently used doors.
- Fascia boards
- Wood siding and shingles
- Outdoor furniture
- Decks
- Wooden play equipment
Damage Caused By Carpenter Bees
Carpenter Bees get their name from the distinct half-inch diameter holes they bore when excavating nesting tunnels in wood. They also tend to eliminate their wastes before entering the tunnel, and yellowish-brown stains from fecal matter may be visible on the surface of the wood beneath the holes.
Holes in exposed siding, shingles, etc., can allow moisture to saturate the wood, insulation, and drywall, leading to weakening and rot, as well as access to other insects like ants. Even wood that has been painted or stained can become infested by Carpenter Bees. The problem is, to be 100% effective, the wood must be painted on all surfaces before it’s installed. If not, bees can still enter through the unpainted back side of the boards, where the damage may remain hidden for years.
Carpenter Bees can cause severe property damage if left untreated year after year, so it is best to choose a professional to handle your Carpenter Bee problem as soon as it becomes evident. There are several ways a pest professional may treat for Carpenter Bees, but the most common methods are repellants and exclusion.
Exclusion
Every spring carpenter bees show up, usually buzzing around the trim at the top of your roofline. What are they doing up there, and why are they going under the trim on my roof? The trim is called the rake board, and it is an unfinished piece of wood covered on the outside by a piece of aluminum. The backside of that wood is raw. Female carpenter bees will go under the vinyl siding and start to excavate their nest into that piece of raw wood. This is sometimes evident by the staining that you will see on your siding coming out from behind the rake board. We remove a few rows of the siding under the rake board and install a piece of vinyl to prevent the bees from entering under the rake board, so the problem is solved permanently. If you are interested in this permanent solution, please gives us a call for an on-site inspection and estimate.