HOME GROUNDS FACT SHEET Horticulture Center Cornell University Demonstration & Community Gardens at East Meadow Farm Cooperative Extension 832 Merrick Avenue East Meadow, NY 11554 Nassau County Phone: 516-565-5265 Carpenter Bee

The Eastern carpenter bee, is to monitor the home, i.e. note Xylocopa virginica, is a large ro- any cracks in foundations, air bust bee about an inch long. It is spaces between windows and similar in appearance to the bumble frames, poorly-fitting doors, mois- bee, but the top of its abdomen is ture from leaks, etc., and correct bare and has a shiny, blackish ap- such examples/situations. pearance. Male carpenter bees do not sting, but may fly close to the Management heads of humans who approach their Frequent applications of paint usually nesting area. The female can sting, gives protection. However, if the in- but seldom does unless provoked or sects start to make tunnels in exposed wood, other molested. measures are necessary. Chemical pesticides are Carpenter bees tunnel by means of their man- available. If you choose to use chemical pesti- dibles into the solid wood of telephone poles, cides, contact your local Cooperative Extension structural timbers, rafters or beams. Small sup- office for specific recommendations. Apply the porting posts and even frames of rose arbors are insecticide to the wood surfaces where the bees attacked. They excavate a tunnel one foot or are active. more in length that divides into several cells. The Well painted, finished structures are a deterrent female partitions the cells with chipped wood ce- to carpenter bees. When tunnels are found, treat- mented together. She then visits flowers and ment with an insecticide and sealing of the tunnel provides each cell with pollen. is recommended. Wasp, hornet and bee aerosols Ordinarily, damage done by these insects is of are effective and easy to use. They should be little or no importance, but structural repairs may applied after dark on a cool evening when the bees be necessary if colonies are formed year after are less active in the tunnel entrances and along year in the same timbers. exposed surfaces. After application, the holes should be plugged deeply with putty or caulking Integrated Pest Management (IPM) compound. If tunnels are plugged without first Considerations killing the insects, carpenter bees trapped inside IPM is a common sense approach to pest control will bore new openings. and plant care. It employs a number of measures to prevent, control or reduce problems. Always use the least toxic methods first. A good mechanical control, in many instances, WHENEVER YOU USE A PESTICIDE, is to vacuum the insects and then throw the bag ALWAYS READ THE LABEL AND FOLLOW away. Regarding household pests, in addition to THE MANUFACTURER’S INSTRUCTIONS regular house-cleaning, the best preventive method AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

B-2-4 JES:cms reviewed RT 1/03

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