Carpenter Bees Makes Getting Mail Dangerous for Homeowner in Red Bank, NJ

Recently, we went on a service call for a homeowner in Red Bank, NJ who was complaining of carpenter bees near his mailbox. Carpenter bees are commonly mistaken for bumblebees since they are both similar in size.

Unlike bumblebees, carpenter bees are solitary insects. They mate in pairs, with the females tending to the young. Female carpenter bees aren’t aggressive or territorial. The females rarely sting, unless they are stepped on or provoked. However the male carpenter bees are and act aggressively to protect the galleries, but they don't have a stinger. Here, you can actually see the female carpenter bee boring a hole into the mailbox and see small wood chips flying out. Once a carpenter bee makes a gallery in your property they will continue to use and expand the same gallery year after year. 

For treatment, we're going to apply a direct-contact residual along the entire exterior of the home and, obviously, on the mailbox. The residual directly targets the carpenter bees and eliminates any returning bees as well as any newly-hatched carpenter bees leaving the gallery. We're going to schedule a follow-up inspection to monitor the carpenter bee infestation and apply any additional treatment if needed.