Wood surfaces are a prime location for nesting wood bees. Wood surfaces with cracks, nail holes, and splinters are popular nest sites. In addition to wood surfaces near flower beds and gardens, bees can be found inside buildings. Wood surfaces may be damaged due to female bees pushing wood out of their tunnels and excreting yellow wastes. These wastes tend to form a fan-like pattern and stain surfaces.
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Nectar
Carpenter bees are omnivorous and feed on nectar and pollen. While they do not eat wood, they do feed on the pollen. Their larvae feed on pollen and nectar and regurgitate it into a pellet, called bee bread. The larvae are fed on this food mass during their life cycle, and their adult forms spend their entire lives working to pollinate the flowers.
The male Xylocopa varipuncta has massive perfume glands on his thorax. Males with these glands are territorial, occupying positions near other males and actively emitting a rose-scented blend of chemicals. This scent attracts females from downwind. Female carpenter bees choose a male based on which he releases the most rose-scented perfume.
Pollen
While other bee species feed on plant pollen, wood bees only eat pollen. They lay their eggs in wood cells, which they line with chewed wood pulp. The larvae feed on pollen, and the adult bees overwinter in the original tunnels, where they replenish pollen and wood pulp. Then, they emerge in the spring to mate and feed on flower pollen. In the fall, they return to the wood to hibernate.
If you want to get rid of a bee infestation, you need to know where they live. While a single nest will not cause structural damage, multiple nests can weaken wood. Even thin shingles can be penetrated by bee tunnels. Mold can also grow on yellow bee excrement. Carpenter bees do not like painted surfaces, and you should avoid them by caulking cracks and nail holes before painting.
Splinters
Wood bees live and thrive in a wide variety of woods, including pine and oak. Wood bees have long stinging venom, which they use to stung humans. Their larvae feed on wood, causing splinters in the wood. This is the reason they are so common in crawl spaces. Female beetles lay eggs in soft wood, usually under splinters. When the eggs hatch, they bore into the wood to just below the surface. Eventually, they emerge as adults, shedding the wood dust they’ve collected.
For the shell of a bee house, you can use dry logs or sections of untreated timber. Make sure the wood is smooth and splinter-free, and use a countersinking drill bit to clean the entrance. Wood that is split or has cracks is especially dangerous, as it can be easier for pests to spread. It’s best to use untreated building timber, as fence timber is typically treated with chemicals. Once you’ve selected the wood for your bee house, you can drill holes through it.
Cracks in wood surfaces
These pests are notorious for causing damage to the wood structures in your home by boring tiny holes in it. Moreover, if you have a fresh coat of paint on your home, the carpenter bees will not find it attractive and will look for cracks to enter the building. Carpenter bee blocker kits come with stainless steel screens that fit into the holes created by carpenter bees.
To get rid of the pest, you can treat the aforementioned areas with dust formulations of insecticides. Generally, these dusts are made up of pyrethrin, borate, and disodium octaborate tetrahydrate. They are available only from licensed pest control professionals. You can also try filling the holes with steel wool, caulk, or even paint.
Nest entrance holes
One way to keep bees out of your home is to use a carpenter bee trap. They are very convenient and non-toxic. You place the trap directly above the nest entrance hole. The bees will enter the trap thinking it’s their nest. If they don’t like the smell, you can spray non-toxic liquids around the entrance hole to repel them. You can also use loud music to scare them away.
Female bees begin excavating their nest entrance holes a few weeks after mating. Typically, they start out by drilling a half-inch-wide hole. Then they continue along the grain of the wood for several inches. The female then prepares a special “bee-bread” that will be fed to her young. After the eggs hatch, the female will die. Wood bees eat their nest entrance holes because they’re hungry and have no way to get around a full meal.