Spotting A Carpenter Bee’s Entry Point
A lot of summer insects are set out to damage your wood structures, and one of them is the carpenter bee. These pests dig out holes within trees or wood to establish their nest. A carpenter bee entry point will usually be:
- Be one inch deep in the wood
- Have sawdust piles under the hole
- Have excrement stains under the hole
- Be almost perfectly round
- Be 1/2 inch in diameter
From inside this entry point, the carpenter bee will dig out perpendicular burrows that extend four to six inches into the structure. The overall number of tunnels will be between six to eight. Within these offshoots, the female will lay her eggs and let them hatch within your home’s walls. If the nests are left unchecked from there, carpenter bee babies can carry the torch and build their tunnels outward. This can expand the original tunnels from inches to ten feet in length. That’s a lot of damage that you’ll never see, but that will undoubtedly deteriorate the integrity of your property’s structure. When carpenter bees nest on your property and you don’t take action, you can be certain they’ll return.
Deterring Carpenter Bees In McAllen
These wood-mining pests target dilapidated or weakened wood. A homeowner’s best practice to prevent these bees from feeling invited is to keep wood structures fresh and protected. To keep carpenter bees from choosing your house’s wood, you can:
- Paint your house.
- Use finishes to protect bare wood.
- Seal cracks.
- Check shingles, eaves, shakes, siding, and shutters often.
- Install decoy carpenter bee houses with weak wood and premade tunnels for nesting.
Carpenter bees in McAllen aren’t aggressive, so some people like to see them buzzing around their yard. If so, you can put up some wood that invites them without jeopardizing the structure of your own house. Be careful, though, because using these types of wooden structures might also attract unfriendly pests that enjoy wood, like ants or termites. It’s best to fortify your house’s bare wood by painting and using finishes.
How To Plug A Carpenter Bee Hole
After carpenter bee holes are set up, new generations may return and use the same nest, extending even deeper into the wood. You’ll want to prevent this from happening, so make sure you do several things when plugging up an old carpenter bee hole. Some tips to keep carpenter bees away are:
- Use caulk, plugs, or putty to stuff up old holes after the bee has left the nest.
- Take note of the location of the carpenter bee hole and protect your wood by painting or using finishes like varnish or stain.
- Search for these holes in early autumn so you prevent carpenter bee young from emerging. Eggs may be inside.
It’s integral to take note of where the hole is. Once you know the part of the house they prefer to dig into, you can make the material more deterrent with varnish or paint. Carpenter bees don’t like to constantly start a brand-new nest, so they’ll pick where the last tenant left off. This can cause extensive damage that continues inward until the structure is no longer sound. Holes might also invite other wood-chewing pests like ants or termites if the conditions are right. Don’t let one nest turn into another.
Residential Pest Control To Tackle Carpenter Bees
A lot of people won’t be too alarmed if they spot a carpenter bee. But the damage one bee can cause might set the precedent for progeny to emerge and continue the wood burrowing. It’s best to deal with these pests early. If you prefer a humane approach like gentle carpenter bee removal, you’ll want to get the help of a professional.
We are experts at BUGWORKS Termite & Pest Control. After two decades of efficient and customer-centered service in the McAllen area, nothing surprises us. Technology, knowledge, and genuine concern for our customers allow us to handle any pest problem with precise and advantageous solutions for any homeowner. We offer gentle removal and other eco-friendly pest control services, as well as making ourselves available for emergencies or immediate concerns. We can eliminate carpenter bees for good. Call today to schedule an inspection.