![]() While not as invasive as carpenter ants or termites, carpenter bees do cause damage to wood structures. As the baby black bees emerge, they eat through the pollen and are off to start their lives. She continues the process, making little apartments of eggs, all of which are separated by pollen and sawdust. After laying her eggs, the female will gather a ball of pollen and sawdust from her excavation to fill the hole in the wood. In an almost-perfect circle nest of sorts. ![]() She will lay her eggs, about 10” deep into the wood. Instead, the female will “drill” a hole into yucca or agave tree–and even dead tree trunks, limbs, and firewood. Habits of Black Beesīlack bees such as these are solitary and don’t tend to gather and colonize. They can range from 8 mm to 25 mm in length, so their size should give them away. The black bees are also larger than typical bumblebees. Upon closer inspection, you will find a little yellow behind the neck of the bee, but from a distance, they will appear to be solid black. They are mostly black with parts that look polished or metallic. The ones you’re most likely to encounter are the mountain carpenter bee and valley carpenter bee.Īll types of carpenter bees look similar. Types of Carpenter BeesĬarpenter bees are common in Arizona in fact, we have many species in the Grand Canyon State. Let’s learn a little more about them and how you can avoid any problems. Are you worried you may be dealing with carpenter bees in your property? Contact us for more information on our bees and beehive removal and preventive pest control services in Houston, today.Have you seen bees around your home that don’t look like the traditional black and yellow color of bumblebees? Instead, they’re almost fully black? These black bees are carpenter bees and, similar to carpenter ants, they may be up to no good around your home. Black Carpenter Bees Pest Control in HoustonĮnviroCon provides pest removal as well as preventive pest control services in Houston for all carpenter bees. They typically become inactive during winter months. Males may continue to be obvious throughout the summer due to their tendency to chase flying insects, animals, and people away from their nests, but otherwise their behavior is mostly limited to pollination. April and May are particularly noticeable times, as that is when new adult bees move out of their brood cells and begin to establish their own nests. Younger bees prefer to move into existing nests to save themselves the work of excavating new tunnels, but the older bees’ long lifespan often prevents that.īlack carpenter bees tend to be most active during the spring and summer months. Unlike more social bees, such as the bumblebee, black carpenter bees have fairly small broods. When Are Black Carpenter Bees Active?Ĭarpenter bees have fairly long lives, often living around three years. This includes most of Texas, including Houston and the surrounding areas. A single black carpenter bee’s nest can be six to ten inches long, so they often cause expensive cosmetic damage to decks, wooden siding, and more.īlack carpenter bees have a wide range, but they are particularly prevalent in southern and southwestern states. ![]() They like to dig tunnels in wood, particularly weathered and exposed wood. Where Do Black Carpenter Bees Live?Ĭarpenter bees get their name from their preferred nesting area. This leads to growing infestations as more generations build nests in the same area. Females often live in small groups, and carpenter bees also tend to like to nest near others. However, this does not mean that they live totally alone. Like bumblebees, carpenter bees help pollinate plants, particularly flowers and vegetables.Ĭarpenter bees are considered solitary bees, which means they tend to live in small nests without a strict social structure or division of labor. They also have a bare and shiny abdomen instead of a fuzzy one. They look fairly similar to bumblebees and are often mistaken for them, but black carpenter bees are almost entirely black. What Are Black Carpenter Bees?īlack carpenter bees are one of the largest species of bees in the United States, and are often found within the Greater Houston area. ![]() One species of bee, the carpenter bee, may be causing significant damage to your home before you even notice a problem. When you think of pests that live in wood, you probably think of termites, but there are many others. ![]()
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