Table of Contents
What Is The Carpenter Bee?
When most people think of bees, they don’t think of them as solitary creatures. Well, that might not be true for most of the species. Most of the species work together to build and grow a colony. This isn’t entirely the case for the carpenter bee. This one here is a solitary bee species that ranges anywhere from ½ to 1 ½ in length. The males of the species are black and orange, whereas the females are solid black in color. Given their color patterns, these bees are oftentimes mistaken for the bumblebee. However, there is one major difference between the two. And, this is right on the abdomen. The abdomen of the carpenter bee is black and shiny, whereas the bumblebee is hairier.
Why Do People Have Carpenter Bees?
When it comes right down to it, carpenter bees are opportunistic creatures. This means they’ll take advantage of whatever they can, whenever they can. Given that they like unpainted, unstained, and weathered softwoods, it could be that your property provides exactly what these critters are seeking. They burrow into this wood and tunnels. The most common areas of wood that they’ll attack are decks, porches, and sheds. One interesting thing to know is, these bees do not actually eat the wood they burrow into. These bees overwinter during the colder months but will return to the very same infected spot year after year if it isn’t properly treated.
Are Carpenter Bees Dangerous?
Most people in Dayton, Ohio see bees as a threat. This is because they sting. Well, the males of this species might have a stinger and they are a bit aggressive around their colony, but for the most part, they aren’t a major threat. They usually won’t sting or attack until they feel threatened. Females also have a stinger but are even more docile than the corresponding males. All this said, there have been reported cases when the venom from these bees caused allergic reactions in specific individuals. If and when this happens, immediate medical attention should be sought out. Another interesting to note is, these bees attract woodpeckers. Woodpeckers feed on the larvae and will hang out around the wood tunnels so they can catch them when they come out.
Woodpeckers don’t really pose a physical threat to you, your family, or your pets, but they can do massive amounts of damage to your property. You combine this with the damage that the bees have likely already done, and you could end up looking at some major structural damage.
How Do I Eliminate Carpenter Bees?
Unfortunately, eliminating carpenter bees is a much more difficult task than most can handle. And, this is because each individual tunnel needs to be treated. This can be extremely difficult and dangerous consider the fact that the bees might conceive your presence as a threat. It is likely you might get stung during the process and if you are allergic to the venom, you could be in major trouble. This is why this is a task much better left to the pros. We are more than capable and glad to handle the task for you.
Can I Do It Myself?
Sure, you can attempt to eliminate carpenter bees on your own, but it isn’t something our pest management pros would recommend. And, this is because it is simply too risky. There is too great a risk of being stung. You combine this with the likelihood that you’ll eliminate the entire colony and it just isn’t worth it. Over-the-counter pesticides and chemicals just aren’t as effective as the ones we utilize. And, this is because they don’t contain all the pertinent ingredients. Most of the necessary ingredients needed to successfully kill these critters are illegal to the general public. Anyone using them is going so illegally. Just something to keep in mind when choosing a pest management professional in Dayton, Ohio.
Are There Safer Alternatives?
You just learned that pesticides and chemicals are some of the go-to methods when it comes to carpenter bee elimination. While these chemicals have been around for years and have proven more than successful in the industry, they are dangerous. They’re not only dangerous to the bees, but they’re dangerous for the people administering them. This is why we only use trained, certified, and capable individuals to handle them. That being said, we do now offer some safer more natural solutions as well. While these might not be suitable in every situation, we always try to utilize them when and where we can. All you have to do is give our Dayton offices a call and we’ll see if your property qualifies for these specialized treatments.
Is It Possible To Prevent Carpenter Bee Infestations?
It doesn’t matter what kind of pest you are dealing with. It is best to stop the threat before it becomes a problem. Unfortunately, this isn’t always possible and much harder than most people think. Luckily, prevention is something that is a little easier with the carpenter bee. And, this is in part because of their propensity for unpainted, unstained, and weathered wood. Pretty much all you have to do is find wood that fits into these classifications and either paint or stain them. Simply throw a coat of lacquer on that old deck and you might prevent a carpenter bee infestation. Other than this, you can try utilizing hardwoods instead of softwoods.
When Can You Get Here?
We know that when you want help, you want it right away. This is something we understand all too well and are more than willing to accommodate. All you have to do is give our Dayton, Ohio offices a call, speak with our in-house representative, set up an appointment, and we’ll get someone out to the property within the next 24 to 48 hours. With this in mind, we do have trained specialist standing by that can be dispatched in emergency situations. If something happens and you need us out at the property immediately, do not hesitate to call because we will be there!
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