Pest Library
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All it takes is one pest sighting to ruin the reputation you’ve worked so hard to build.
Carpenter Bee
Xylocopa spp.
Carpenter bees typically don't attack unless provoked and only the females have stingers. Carpenter bee nests are easy to spot as they nest in structures or weathered wood, and each nest has only a single entrance.
RISK LEVEL:
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
Risk is defined as how much damage each pest can be to you, your family, or your home
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| Class: | Order: | Family: | |
| Insecta | Hymenoptera | Anthophoridae | |
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| Size: | Carpenter bee adults are about 1/2 to 1in (12.5-25 mm) long, robust. |
| Color: | California carpenter bee (mountains in Calif./Ore.) is mostly metallic green/blue with grayish wings. Female valley carpenter bee (valleys, lower foothills of Calif., Ariz.) is shiny black with bright metallic purple/bronze shine, smoky colored wings; male is golden brown or buff. Mountain carpenter bee (foothills/mountains of Calif./Ariz./Nev./Ore.) is black; male's head has yellow, white, black hairs |
| Characteristics: | They are similar to bumble bees, except top of abdomen is quite bare and shiny. |
| Geographic Range: | Carpenter bees are found around the world, with 7 species in the United States. |
| Food: | Pollen, nectar |
| Biology: | After mating, the female carpenter bee bores a hole straight into wood, then turns and follows the grain of the wood, in order to make a gallery in which to lay eggs. She may use an old gallery from a previous year, or extend an old gallery. Beginning at the closed end, she lays an egg onto a mass of pollen and partly digested nectar, then seals it with chewed wood-pulp. She continues to do this once a day for 5-6 days. Mating is in the spring after individuals have overwintered in old tunnels. The survivors feed on nectar. Development from egg to adult takes 1-3 months. |
- Look for their nests in wood, or in cracks and openings in buildings.
- Be aware of their hovering, aggressive behavior towards you, or congregation around sticky or sweet spills.
- Look for holes in wood, as carpenter bees bore holes in wood to lay eggs.