Straight answers from a licensed New York exterminator and Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE) — serving all five boroughs, in English and Spanish.
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Quick answer: Carpenter bees are large, robust bees that bore perfectly round holes into bare or weathered wood to build nest tunnels, damaging eaves, decks, railings, and trim over time. Males hover aggressively but cannot sting; females can sting but rarely do. Control means treating the galleries, then sealing and painting the wood so bees cannot re-bore.
What do carpenter bees look like?
Carpenter bees are large, robust bees that look like bumble bees but have a shiny, hairless black abdomen rather than a fuzzy one. Males frequently hover near nest sites and dart at intruders, but they have no stinger; females can sting but rarely do.
Signs of carpenter bees
The tell-tale sign is perfectly round holes about 1/2 inch wide bored into bare or weathered wood — eaves, fascia, decks, railings, fence posts, and trim — with coarse sawdust below and yellowish staining around the hole. Hovering bees in spring often precede the holes.
Why carpenter bees matter
Females bore tunnels to lay eggs and reuse and expand galleries year after year. Over multiple seasons this weakens wood, and woodpeckers may tear open galleries to eat larvae, greatly enlarging the damage.
How to deal with carpenter bees
Control is a two-step job: treat the galleries so returning females and emerging young contact the material, then seal the holes (after treatment) and paint or stain the wood. Because they prefer bare, unfinished wood, keeping vulnerable wood painted or sealed is the best long-term deterrent.
When to call a professional
For repeated infestations, high or hard-to-reach eaves, or significant existing damage, a professional can treat active galleries safely and advise on sealing and finishing to prevent re-boring.
A Brooklyn-based, NYSDEC-registered company (Reg. #15140) led by Jorge Bedoya, an Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE). For pests in your home or building, NYE provides IPM-based, low-exposure control matched to the exact pest and verified with a follow-up. ACE-led work comes with a client portal of service reports and photos, fully bilingual service, and no long-term contract.
Carpenter Bee FAQ
How do I identify carpenter bees?
Carpenter bees are large and robust, resembling bumble bees but with a shiny, hairless black abdomen (bumble bees are fuzzy). Males often hover near nest sites but have no stinger; females can sting but seldom do.
How do I know I have carpenter bees?
Look for perfectly round holes about 1/2 inch across in bare or weathered wood, coarse sawdust below the holes, and yellowish staining. Males hovering around eaves and railings are a common early sign.
How do you get rid of carpenter bees?
Treat the individual galleries so returning and emerging bees contact the material, then seal the holes and paint or stain the wood. Bare, unfinished wood is the main attractant, so finishing it discourages new tunneling.
Do carpenter bees cause serious damage?
A single season is minor, but bees reuse and expand galleries year after year, and woodpeckers may enlarge holes hunting larvae, so repeated infestations can cause significant damage to trim and structural wood.
Are carpenter bees dangerous?
The hovering males cannot sting; females can but rarely do unless handled. They are more a property-damage concern than a stinging threat.
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