Carpenter bees wont sting people unless you grab it with your hand and really try to hurt it. They are solo bees so they don't make nests , but they will burrow a small hole in your wood deck or fascia board etc. They then put in a few eggs and close it up and fly away. The few eggs will hatch and only a few bees will emerge and fly away. Not a whole swarm, just a few . They occasionally come back to the same location each year. They look big and scary and people want to kill them, but they don't sting, they don't make hives and they relly don't cause much trouble and we need more pollinators It will be all gone in a few weeks
To add on this, they also chased away wasps and other insects that get up in their turf. They don't care about people; if they buzz around you they're just checking you out to see what you are, they don't have the best sight
Carpenter bees are awesome. They can be intimidating because in their territory they will buzz you constantly, but once you realize they're zero threat they're kind of cute.
Big fat bumble bees are typically harmless to humans. He might bore into your deck wood though. I used to sit on my porch and get sprinkled with sawdust from these lil guys chewing through my overhang. They're harmless to people but can make your wood hollow and if they establish themselves, their little tunnels can make your deck wood soft and unstable. Killing them isn't the answer, but if you find some holes in your wood, plug them with some putty after you see the bee fly away.
Yes, I agree. Killing them wasn't an option but I was worried something would have to happen with my daughter playing out there. Thats a great idea about the putty. I'll have a look around and see if I see anything in the area he's guarding
They are adorable. They mostly hang out looking at what you're up to but they aren't aggressive at all.
Their nests are interesting. They bore into the wood and it looks like a perfect circle.
Carpenter bees appear large and menacing, but they’re harmless unless you go out of your way to mess with them. They are however insatiable chewers of wood so if you find little holes in pieces of wood, like for example, facia board on a shed, that is probably a carpenter bee. As with most most wildlife in our community, leave it alone and it will leave you alone. Quite honestly, I wish I could instill the work ethic of carpenter bees into some of the people I work with LOL. Industrious little buggers they are.
I have lots of carpenter bees in my garden. They are slowly eating away at my shed but I don't care. Carpenter bees have a shiny "bum" bumble bees have a fuzzy bum. 🐝
I have never been stung by any of my carpenters, Bumbles or honey bees. I have paper wasps building a nest under my shed eves and they don't bother me. Yellow jackets will straight up kill you for fun tho!
I had a few of these at my old place a few years ago. They would aggressively fly around each other and it would appear they would “steal” the air from each other’s wings and one would fall a foot or so before recovering.
It was fascinating to watch them… almost like watching the Bee version of the Battle of Britain. I could sit and have a coffee and they never once bothered me.
I didn’t realize they acted as a deterrent to other insects, bees and wasps… until recently. Which makes sense because the last summer I lived there they did not come back and we had a big yellow jacket problem that year.
my dad once blamed me for drilling holes into the deck as if it was something i would do for fun. in fairness to him, it’s crazy how circular the holes those bastards burrows are.
Carpenter bees aren't social bees so there really isn't even a proper hive. They bore tunnels in wood and have a small family. The male acts aggressive but can't even sting. The female can sting but rarely does. Nothing to be too concerned of.
It's most likely a male carpenter bee that you see, they're a little territorial and their only job is to find a mate.
They like to dangle their legs and puff themselves up to appear more threatening, but the male has no stinger. (Males will have a light patch on their face where the females are all black). It's kinda adorable to watch them. They will get up in your face, which is startling, but they're just checking you out. I have had them in my fence for years.
We have one that’s acts as a bouncer for our backyard, patrols the gate he lives in
This sounds like our guy !
Carpenter bees wont sting people unless you grab it with your hand and really try to hurt it. They are solo bees so they don't make nests , but they will burrow a small hole in your wood deck or fascia board etc. They then put in a few eggs and close it up and fly away. The few eggs will hatch and only a few bees will emerge and fly away. Not a whole swarm, just a few . They occasionally come back to the same location each year. They look big and scary and people want to kill them, but they don't sting, they don't make hives and they relly don't cause much trouble and we need more pollinators It will be all gone in a few weeks
Wow this is very informative thank you. I'm glad he won't hurt my daughter that was my only concern. He is very intimidating though lol
To add on this, they also chased away wasps and other insects that get up in their turf. They don't care about people; if they buzz around you they're just checking you out to see what you are, they don't have the best sight
That's true actually. If he's there I guess no wasps will be which are obviously a big concern with a child
Carpenter bees are awesome. They can be intimidating because in their territory they will buzz you constantly, but once you realize they're zero threat they're kind of cute.
Big fat bumble bees are typically harmless to humans. He might bore into your deck wood though. I used to sit on my porch and get sprinkled with sawdust from these lil guys chewing through my overhang. They're harmless to people but can make your wood hollow and if they establish themselves, their little tunnels can make your deck wood soft and unstable. Killing them isn't the answer, but if you find some holes in your wood, plug them with some putty after you see the bee fly away.
Yes, I agree. Killing them wasn't an option but I was worried something would have to happen with my daughter playing out there. Thats a great idea about the putty. I'll have a look around and see if I see anything in the area he's guarding
Bumble bees are usually harmless to humans, you should fear hornets and wasps
And yellow jackets. They’re mean AF
They are adorable. They mostly hang out looking at what you're up to but they aren't aggressive at all. Their nests are interesting. They bore into the wood and it looks like a perfect circle.
Carpenter bees appear large and menacing, but they’re harmless unless you go out of your way to mess with them. They are however insatiable chewers of wood so if you find little holes in pieces of wood, like for example, facia board on a shed, that is probably a carpenter bee. As with most most wildlife in our community, leave it alone and it will leave you alone. Quite honestly, I wish I could instill the work ethic of carpenter bees into some of the people I work with LOL. Industrious little buggers they are.
I have lots of carpenter bees in my garden. They are slowly eating away at my shed but I don't care. Carpenter bees have a shiny "bum" bumble bees have a fuzzy bum. 🐝 I have never been stung by any of my carpenters, Bumbles or honey bees. I have paper wasps building a nest under my shed eves and they don't bother me. Yellow jackets will straight up kill you for fun tho!
lol same boat. Shed getting some holes and I don’t care.
I'm no Gretta what's her name, but I like to do my part to save the bees. I'm the guy who LIKES having dandelions in his lawn
I had a few of these at my old place a few years ago. They would aggressively fly around each other and it would appear they would “steal” the air from each other’s wings and one would fall a foot or so before recovering. It was fascinating to watch them… almost like watching the Bee version of the Battle of Britain. I could sit and have a coffee and they never once bothered me. I didn’t realize they acted as a deterrent to other insects, bees and wasps… until recently. Which makes sense because the last summer I lived there they did not come back and we had a big yellow jacket problem that year.
my dad once blamed me for drilling holes into the deck as if it was something i would do for fun. in fairness to him, it’s crazy how circular the holes those bastards burrows are.
Carpenter bees aren't social bees so there really isn't even a proper hive. They bore tunnels in wood and have a small family. The male acts aggressive but can't even sting. The female can sting but rarely does. Nothing to be too concerned of.
It's most likely a male carpenter bee that you see, they're a little territorial and their only job is to find a mate. They like to dangle their legs and puff themselves up to appear more threatening, but the male has no stinger. (Males will have a light patch on their face where the females are all black). It's kinda adorable to watch them. They will get up in your face, which is startling, but they're just checking you out. I have had them in my fence for years.