It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a bee??
This is Xylocopa spp. otherwise known as a Carpenter Bee! They often frighten people due to their large size and loud noise when they fly. The male bee can be quite aggressive, often hovering in front of people who are near the nest, but they are harmless since they don’t have stingers. The female, however, can inflict a painful sting if threatened.
Carpenter bees are about 1 inch in length and resemble bumble bees, but their abdomen is shiny and colored a metallic blue-black. Some males are lighter in color, golden or buff color.
Carpenter bees attack wood and prefer wood which is bare, weathered and unpainted. They bore into timbers or siding, tunnel through the wood and lay their eggs. Tunnels may extend as far as 10 feet into the timbers and can significantly weaken the structure. Common nesting sites are eaves, window trim, fascia boards, decks, fencing, and outdoor furniture.
Look for holes (about the size of a dime) such as in this Colfax, CA customer’s fence.
Also notice the stains below the entrance hole, which is debris as the bees have done their housekeeping. There may also be a small pile of sawdust below the entrance hole. If you see these signs around your home, deck, fencing, inside the garage (which may have exposed, unpainted framing) give us a call!
Gold Miner Pest Control and Wildlife Management
Phone: Auburn, CA (530) 878-8786 or Colfax, CA (530) 346-8379
We serve the cities of Roseville, CA, Rocklin, CA, Lincoln, CA, Auburn, CA, Meadow Vista, CA, Grass Valley, CA, Nevada City, CA, Colfax, CA, Alta, CA, and all outlying areas of Placer and Nevada counties.