Photo Album: Heavy Carpenter Bee Infestation in Freehold, NJ
Wood-Destroying Pests
Carpenter bees are solitary, wood-destroying pests but they don't eat wood like termites do. They can be intimidating just by their size but are typically harmless, just not to your home!
Carpenter Bees and the Damage They Do
Carpenter bees can cause significant property damage, as the female bees drill perfectly circular ½-inch diameter holes into wooden structures of a home, much like they did here.
The Males
The males are the ones you'll see flying around outside their gallery. Those are the ones that dive bomb at you, but can't really do anything since they don't have a stinger. The females can sting but only does so if threatened.
Quick Way to Identify
An easy way to tell if you have a carpenter bee infestation is the yellow excrement stains on the wood below their holes.
Carpenter Bee Treatment
I injected each one of these drill holes with a residual dusting application, which will rapidly eliminate the carpenter bees, any returning bees, as well as any newly-hatched carpenter bees leaving the gallery.
Patch Them Up
Once the carpenter bees are eliminated, I'm going to return and patch up all the drill holes.