If you’re spotting smooth, round holes in your deck, fence, or porch, you may have carpenter bees around your Michigan home. They look a lot like bumblebees, but they behave very differently.
Over time, their activity can weaken wooden structures like soffits, fascia boards, and eaves, especially if they’re made from softwoods like pine or cedar.
If you want to get rid of them safely and for good, here’s what Michigan homeowners need to know.
Key Takeaways
- Round holes and sawdust in spring mean female carpenter bees are nesting and laying eggs inside wood.
- Blocking holes or using sprays does not solve the problem because bees and larvae are still active inside.
- Weak wood, repeated nesting, and woodpeckers can all lead to serious structural damage around your home.
- Help from a pest control expert is the best way to remove carpenter bees and stop them from coming back.
Look for Round Holes and Sawdust in Early Spring
Carpenter bee season starts in early spring.
That’s when female bees begin searching for nesting sites in wood surfaces.
You might see sawdust below small, round holes, usually on the underside of eaves, decks, or wooden railings, as these bees drill tunnels into the wood to build a nest.
Inside, the female will lay eggs and seal them in with food for the larvae. These larvae grow through the summer and then overwinter inside the wood, coming out the next spring.
If you catch them early, you can limit the damage and avoid a long-term infestation.
Don’t Try to Fix It Yourself
It might seem like a good idea to plug the hole with caulk or try a spray from the store. But this can make things worse. Female carpenter bees could still be inside. If you seal the tunnel, they may chew a new way out, causing more damage.
DIY methods also don’t reach the larvae deep in the nest. So even if the adult bees are gone, the next generation is still growing.
For true bee control, the nest has to be treated properly and at the right time. That kind of treatment often requires special tools and timing to be effective.
How to Tell Carpenter Bees from Other Bees
Carpenter bees are often confused with bumblebees because they’re about the same size. The easiest way to tell them apart is to look at the abdomen. Male carpenter bees have shiny black abdomens and hover around nesting sites, even though they don’t have stingers.
It’s also important to avoid harming helpful pollinators.
Honeybees and bumblebees are essential for our local environment and shouldn’t be disturbed unless they pose a direct threat.
Hornets and wasps are a different story. They’re aggressive and can sting repeatedly, but carpenter bees don’t behave the same way.
Know How They Damage Your Home
Even though carpenter bees don’t eat wood, they can still cause structural damage.
Their tunnels weaken boards, especially when they return year after year to the same nesting sites. That’s common in fascia boards, soffits, or decks where the wood is untreated or soft.
Woodpeckers can also add to the problem.
They’re attracted to the bee larvae inside the tunnels and will peck at the wood to get to them, leaving behind larger holes and cracks.
Over time, the damage can look similar to what you might see from termites or carpenter ants.
Know That Traps and Noise Aren’t Long-Term Fixes
You may have heard that carpenter bees don’t like loud noises or that traps can get rid of them. These tricks may scare off a few bees, but they don’t fix the root issue. The nest and larvae are still there.
And unless you remove the nesting sites completely, carpenter bee infestations can come back season after season.
Solving a carpenter bee problem means addressing the nest, not just the bees you see.
You need to break the breeding cycle and keep your home from becoming a bee nest in the future.
Prevent Future Infestations with Wood Treatments and Repairs
The best time to prevent carpenter bees is in the fall, after they’ve left the nest and before they overwinter.
At this point, you can safely fill in the holes and take steps to protect your wood.
Start by sealing cracks and holes with caulk or wood filler. Then paint or stain your wood surfaces. They prefer bare, untreated wood.
If possible, replace softwoods with hardwoods for future projects. These are less attractive to bees and hold up better over time.
Focus on the areas bees love: trim, fascia boards, wooden railings, decks, and overhangs. Fixing these areas now can save you a bigger headache later.
Get Rid of Carpenter Bees with Professional Help
At Pest Pros of Michigan, we help homeowners in Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, and nearby areas get rid of carpenter bees the right way. We treat the entire infestation, from adult bees to the larvae hiding inside the wood.
Our pest control solutions don’t just eliminate the bees, you’ll also get expert advice on preventing future nesting sites and protecting your home long-term.
Ready to take care of your carpenter bee problem?
If you’re seeing signs of carpenter bees, let our experts take a look. We’ll make sure they’re gone and that they don’t come back.
