Carpenter bees are the ones that hover in your face on the deck in April and drill neat, perfectly round holes about the size of a dime in your fascia boards. They look like bumblebees with a shiny, hairless abdomen. They are not aggressive — the males that buzz you cannot sting at all — and they are still one of the more expensive pests a lake house gets.

The damage is cumulative. A single bee bores a short tunnel. The next year her daughters return to the same wood, extend the existing galleries, and branch off new ones. Ten years of that in a fascia board is structural. And the holes bring a second problem: woodpeckers tear the boards open to get at the larvae, which turns a dime-sized hole into a foot of ruined trim.

How we treat them

• Full inspection — Decks, railings, eaves, fascia, soffits, pergolas, docks, outbuildings and unpainted wooden furniture.
• Gallery treatment — Product applied directly into the tunnels, which is the only way to reach adults and larvae inside.
• Residual barrier — Treatment of the exposed wood surfaces they return to, so next spring’s generation looks elsewhere.
• Pollinator-conscious application — EPA-registered products applied precisely into galleries and onto target surfaces, not broadcast across flowering plants.
• Follow-up inspection — We come back and confirm the galleries are inactive.

Why timing matters

Carpenter bees emerge in early spring, mate, and the females excavate or extend galleries through April and May. Treating during that window catches them before the next generation is provisioned.

Treating in late summer is still worthwhile — it kills the larvae that would otherwise emerge next year — but spring is when you get the most out of it. If you are seeing them now, that is the time to call, whatever the month.

What you can do yourself

• Paint or seal exposed wood — Carpenter bees strongly prefer bare, weathered, unpainted softwood. Paint is a real deterrent; stain is much less so.
• Do not plug holes too early — Sealing an active gallery traps larvae that will simply chew out sideways. Treat first, seal afterwards.
• Seal after treatment — Once galleries are confirmed inactive, fill with wood putty or dowel and paint over. This is what stops re-use.
• Watch the same spots — They return to wood that has been used before. The boards that were hit last year are the ones to check first.

Where we see them most

Around Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair it is decks, dock structures, boat house eaves and the unpainted underside of overhangs. On older properties in Eatonton, Greensboro and Madison it tends to be fascia and porch ceilings.

Anything cedar, cypress, pine or redwood that has never been painted is a target. Anything softwood facing south and getting afternoon sun is a bigger one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are carpenter bees dangerous?

The males that hover and dive-bomb you cannot sting. Females can, but rarely do unless handled. The real damage is to the wood.

How do I know it is carpenter bees and not bumblebees?

Carpenter bees have a shiny black hairless abdomen; bumblebees are fuzzy all over. And carpenter bees leave round holes and sawdust below them.

Will they come back next year?

They return to wood that has been used before, which is why treatment is followed by sealing the galleries and painting the surface.

Should I plug the holes myself?

Not until after treatment. Sealing an active gallery just makes them chew a new exit. Treat first, then fill and paint.

Do you use anything that harms honeybees?

Products are EPA approved and applied directly into galleries and onto target wood rather than broadcast over flowering plants.

When is the best time to treat?

Early spring, as they emerge. Late-season treatment still kills larvae before next year’s generation.

Related

Hornet and wasp extermination · Priority Pest Management Plan · Carpenter ants in Georgia · Wasps and hornets in Georgia · Lake house pest control · Pest control on Lake Oconee · Pest control in Eatonton, GA · Contact

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