Detailed information on Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica)

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Jeth

Story, AR | November 2018 | Positive

I have had these at my house for 3 or 4 years. I started taking bamboo, cutting it into sections and zip tying it together and Using longer zip ties I put them on my wood rafter on my porch- front and back. Now they don't drill holes quit so much but they come back year after year. Different sizes doesn't seem to matter. You can search it for more ideas.

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Bharat_Sanghavi

Trenton, NJ (Zone 6b) | September 2012 | Neutral

it seem like these bees can't find their own nesting place, since they always bump into each other or walls or even humans ! they most of the time frighten people by hovering around your nose and eyes. though don't bite if you ignore them.

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Dennislm

Ozark, AL | February 2012 | Negative

The bees may well be benefical to plants and gardening, But they are literally EATING me out of my cedar home. It is much more than cosmetic. I buy small cigars ,(cigarillios) cut them about 1 inch long, and push the pcs into the holes. Bees don't like tobacco.

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mslehv

Columbus, OH (Zone 5b) | October 2009 | Positive

These bees seem to be the predominant genus in my gardens. They are particularly attracted to Sedums and Agastache. However, feeding on Sedum Brilliant seems to dramatically slow them down and sometimes, actually kill them.

I have also noted some type of interaction between them that seems quite purposeful. I saw two bees that were noisily tumbling around on the ground. One then hovered in a fixed position about ten inches above the other for more than a minute, watching the other until it ceased to move. That's a pretty good attention span for a relatively simple creature.

I've had no problem with aggressiveness. In fact, I will sometimes gently push them out of the way so I can get my gardening chores (such as deadheading) done.

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primus285

Barberton, OH | August 2008 | Positive

Mostly harmless clumsy insects. The black females DO HAVE STINGERS, but havent shown any interest in attacking. The males are much more agressive (have a white face) and DO NOT have stingers. Just throw something that is bee shaped (like a rock) somewhere and they will go after it. They do drill holes all over the place, but on the plus size, they do keep the wasps away (usually a dozen or so nests, none since the bees moved in). Holes seem to be only cosmetic. Unfortunately I think the wood might be treated, and the exposure to it seems to be harming the bees. They constantly attack eashother and never seem to be able to get into their nests. Regurarlly see one or two dying on the ground (presumably from exhasution from entering the nest) One post above says nothing will kill them, that i... read more

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CaptMicha

Brookeville, MD (Zone 7a) | May 2008 | Neutral

While these insects do have beneficial qualities, they're very annoying. Not only do they drill holes in my wood deck but I've been confronted more than once by one flying right next to my face, trying to intimidate me. Even though I had been just sitting there, not making any movement to alarm or surprise it and not near it's nest.

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Grandmaggie

Beachwood, NJ (Zone 6b) | May 2007 | Neutral

I am not too sure about this bug. I was not aware of it until I saw little holes in my house (outside). My home is wood sided. And there they were! Chomping away as I watered the gardens. Yes they are very territorial as I walk to my big shed I can hardly get in. Not decided how to handle the situation as of yet....

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ilovejesus99

Baytown, TX (Zone 9b) | April 2007 | Positive

This year there were more than I have seen in years. I hope this means more people are using organics.

They are big and scarey but also bold and beautiful. I love to see them around and I know to leave them alone.

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Farmerdill

Augusta, GA (Zone 8a) | September 2006 | Positive

This is the best early pollinator available here, they work much earlier than bumbles. They will do cosmetic damage to houses where wood is exposed. All my machinery sheds are built of rough untreated pine so they have plenty of nesting sites with out bothering anything else.

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jswords

columbus, MS (Zone 7b) | September 2006 | Neutral

My house has cedar siding, and it looks like pegboard in a wood shop! They are generally non agressive, but here the males seem to have black faces and the females have a yellow dot in the center of their face. Woe be to the person who upsets the female, she will chase you around!
Other that constant sweeping of sawdust, i don't mind them. Good thing, pest control says there is nothing that will kill them!
jswords

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Magpye

NW Qtr, AR (Zone 6a) | August 2006 | Neutral

Carpenter bees cause alarm because they are large insects – up to about an inch long – resembling bumble bees, the territorial males harass humans and other animals that enter their terrain, and they are often found boring holes in structural timbers, such as rafters and fascia boards.

The males lack a stinger, but females have been known to deliver potent stings.

Carpenter bees are black, and they have yellow hairs on the thorax and first abdominal segment. Adults differ from bumble bees in that they are not social, the upper surface of the abdomen in mostly devoid of hairs, and the females have a brush of hairs on the hind leg instead of a pollen basket.

Males carpenter bees have white faces, but females have dark faces. This... read more

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sligo

Boston, MA (Zone 6a) | August 2006 | Neutral

Good polinators and non-stinging may be a plus, but they will "destroy" protective facia boards, soffits, and all other house trim boards they decide to call home, even pressure treated wood is not a deterent

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Terry

Murfreesboro, TN (Zone 7a) | August 2006 | Neutral

On the plus side, they don't sting and they're pollinizers.

But on the negative side, they are pests, drilling holes into any exposed wood they find, and making a nuisance of themselves in the process.

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okus

(Zone 8b) | August 2006 | Positive

A great pollinator - when it uses the "official" way into the flowers. Sometimes it "cheats", on tubular flowers such as Mexican Petunias, by boring a hole through the tube to steal the nectar without getting itself covered in pollen. Carpenter bees are much maligned because they bore into wood to make their nests, but usually the damage they do to wood is just cosmetic.

Eastern Carpenter Bee

Xylocopavirginica

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