Carpenter Bees: Identification Guide
Quick Facts About Carpenter Bees
Carpenter bees are large, bumble bee-like bees that drill perfectly round holes in wood to lay their eggs. In Tennessee, they’re a familiar sight every spring around eaves, fascia, decks, and porch railings.- Size: About 3/4 to 1 inch
- Color: Yellow, fuzzy thorax with a shiny, mostly hairless black abdomen
- Key sign: Perfectly round holes about 1/2 inch wide, often with sawdust below
- Favorite wood: Unpainted or weathered softwoods such as pine, cedar, and cypress
- Active season: Spring into early summer, with a second wave of adults in late summer
- Stings: Males can’t sting; females can but rarely do
Carpenter Bees vs. Bumble Bees
They look similar at a glance. Check the abdomen: a carpenter bee’s is shiny black and nearly bald, while a bumble bee’s is fuzzy.Bumble bees nest in the ground and don’t damage wood. See our bumble bee guide.
The Bee That Hovers at You
Male carpenter bees often hover near nests and dive at people who come close. It’s intimidating, but males have no stinger. A male has a yellow or white patch on its face; females don’t.
Signs of Carpenter Bees
- Round holes: Clean, 1/2-inch holes on the underside of eaves, fascia, deck rails, and fence boards
- Sawdust: Small piles of coarse sawdust below the holes
- Stains: Yellowish-brown streaks below entry holes
- Buzzing: Chewing sounds from inside the wood in spring
- Woodpecker damage: Woodpeckers ripping open wood to get at the larvae inside
How Carpenter Bees Damage Wood
A female bores straight in about an inch, then turns and tunnels along the grain, creating a gallery for her eggs. One tunnel does little harm, but carpenter bees return to the same wood year after year and extend old tunnels, so damage grows. Woodpeckers hunting the larvae can cause even more damage than the bees.
How to Prevent Carpenter Bees
- Paint exposed wood: Paint discourages them better than stain or bare wood.
- Treat and plug existing holes: Holes should be treated, then sealed with a wood plug, dowel, or putty, usually after activity stops, so new bees don’t reuse them.
- Maintain wood: Replace badly damaged boards and keep finishes in good condition.
- Consider other materials: Vinyl, aluminum, and composite trim resist carpenter bees.
When to Call a Professional
A technician can treat active galleries, advise on the best timing to plug holes, and help protect the wood from next year’s bees. See our carpenter bee control service.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell a carpenter bee from a bumble bee?
Carpenter bees have a shiny, mostly hairless black abdomen. Bumble bees are fuzzy all over and nest in the ground instead of wood.
Do carpenter bees sting?
Males can’t sting, though they may hover aggressively. Females can sting but rarely do.
What do carpenter bee holes look like?
Perfectly round holes about 1/2 inch wide, usually on the underside of wood, often with sawdust and yellowish stains below.
Does painting wood stop carpenter bees?
Paint discourages them much better than stain or bare wood, though it isn’t a guarantee.
Should I plug carpenter bee holes?
Yes, after treating them. Plugging untreated holes can trap bees inside, and untreated holes invite reuse.
