There is nothing exciting about the buzz of bees darting around as you go outside to do some gardening. The idea of getting attacked by a swarm of bees is not the least bit appealing. However, before panic and pandemonium set in, properly identifying the culprit doing the buzzing is the first step. Is it a honey bee? Or perhaps a carpenter bee?

If you are noticing a rather large, black colored bee hovering around the eaves and outside of your home, you probably have carpenter bees searching for mates and ideal places to construct their nests. Even though the males are harmless, they are quite aggressive and will hover in front of people who venture too close to their nests.

Carpenter bees can cause damage to buildings as they bore tunnels into the wood for the purpose of laying eggs. Bare or unpainted softwood is especially desirable to them. The abandoned nest tunnels make ideal places for adults to overwinter. In the spring they will emerge from their winter hiding spot and begin mating and start the process all over again. Every time the tunnels are used, they bore deeper and causing a weakening of the structure. The severity of damage builds up year after year of use.

Honey bees are undoubtedly the most common and most studied of all the bees. While they are not noted for invoking damage to your home or buildings, honey bees are responsible for most of the bee stings people encounter. Honey bees are producers of a multi-million dollar industry of honey consumed each year. Even more valuable is the pollination they provide for cultivated crops.

Honey bees build large hives consisting of several wax combs. These multipurpose combs provide a place for the young bees as well as a location for the pollen and nectar to be stored. Honey bees are very defensive when it comes to protecting their hive. An alarmed worker bee will release a substance from its glands that will signal other bees to attack, hence the mass stinging of the intruder occurs.

Bee stings can be very serious to some people, even causing death to those who are highly allergic to them. Because of this, the do it yourself style of bee control or bee removal is not recommended. At Schendel Pest Services, we follow very strict guidelines and only use products that are EPA-registered. Our technicians are very well trained and experienced. The methods and treatments that they use to control and remove carpenter bees are safe around people, pets, and plants. Our technicians will also instruct you of any changes you can make to your property to prevent future carpenter bee invasions. We encourage you to contact us for all your bee concerns.