It can be a little disconcerting to have carpenter bees flying around. We get it. These bees are not small. In fact, they're one of the larger bees you'll see on your property; but like bumblebees, which share many similar characteristics; carpenter bees are not much of a threat. These are mostly solitary insect and are not aggressive like social bees and wasps. If you don't bother carpenter bees, they won't bother you; but that doesn't mean they don't sting.
Do carpenter bees sting? Yes. The females of this species of bee will sting you if you handle her, or adequately threaten her nest. Unlike honey bees, though, carpenter bees don't lose their stinger when they sting. That means they are able to sting multiple times. Fortunately, female carpenter bees have other things to worry about that are more important than stinging you. Well, most of the time.
Male carpenter bees are unable to sting, but that doesn't stop them from being, well, males. If you get near their nest, they will get all puffed up like they mean business; but that's all just posturing. They have nothing to back up all that aggressive behavior--sort of like a guy who is pretending to know martial arts. The male carpenter bee will fly at you, move quickly, and get all up in your face--but you have nothing to worry about.
While carpenter bees aren't likely to hurt you unless you accidently lean back into one when you're sitting in an outside chair, or grab one when you go to pick up a glass of juice on an outside table, they can hurt your home. These bees bore tunnels into wood; and if left untreated, they will come back year after year and make those tunnels worse.
One of the best things you can do to resist carpenter bees is paint or treat any untreated wood on your home. Carpenter bees target untreated wood, especially underneath. These insects most often tunnel upward first, then make a right angle turn and bore horizontally. Sometimes their tunneling efforts will cause them to accidentally chew through to the outside as they go, and damage will be much more obvious.
If you have carpenter bees on your property, and you live in our New York coverage area, let Thomas Pest Services take care of those destructive pests. Our Angie's List Super Service Award winning service team has over 60 years of experience and a reputation for excellence. Your home and your family will be safe with Thomas Pest Services. Every time.