Carpenter bees don't really look like a destructive creature
Don’t let their looks fool you though. Carpenter bees over time can be quite destructive. They like to return year after year to the same places. Each year widening existing tunnels and creating new ones to lay eggs in. Besides the damage done by the carpenter bees themselves we also have to watch out for animals that like to feed on carpenter bee eggs and larva. Mainly the woodpecker.
Woodpeckers make the damage carpenter bees do even worse
Circled in red to the left is a prime example of what happens when a woodpecker decides he wants to have carpenter bee eggs for breakfast. While most of the damage has actually been done by carpenter bees, it gets to looking much worse after the woodpecker comes along and cracks open the thin layer of wood that was left hiding the carpenter bee tunnels. By pecking at the exterior of the home he has exposed the tunnels made by the carpenter bees and gained access to those juicy carpenter bee eggs and larva. A little bit of work pays off today as the woodpecker enjoys a nice buffet of fresh carpenter bee eggs.
What should you do if you see damage like this
Don’t let a problem like this go on. Call a pest control professional to treat the exterior of the home with a power spray treatment. You can usually have the pest control company fill the damaged wood with wood putty or you can do it yourself and paint over. There are some paints that are designed to help prevent carpenter bees from chewing through. Remember carpenter bees don’t actaully eat the wood they just chew and spit it out.
