ScientificName: Ceratina spp. (small) and Xylocopa spp. (large)
Description: 1-inch, black bodies with a hairless abdomen and clear, brownish wings. They resemble Bumblebees.
Habitat/Food: Carpenter bees live in wood in all different places around the house. They feed on nectar and pollen.
Life Cycle: Females drill holes in wood to lay their eggs in. They feed the larvae a mixture of honey and pollen and there is usually one generation per year.
Organic Control: Plant oil based products can be used as effective control. There are also some organic aerosol sprays available.
Interesting Fact: Carpenter bees obtain their common name from their nesting habits: small carpenter bees excavate tunnels in pithy stems of various bushes; large carpenter bees chew nesting galleries in solid wood or in stumps, logs, or dead branches of trees. They become when nesting takes place in structural timbers.