Boring bees, also known as carpenter bees, are a type of solitary bee found in various parts of Virginia.
If you need help with a boring bee infestation, contact Bell-Exterminating today!
Here is some information about boring bees in Virginia:
- Identification: Boring bees are relatively large bees, often resembling bumblebees. They have a robust, black body with a shiny, hairless abdomen. Male boring bees have a white or light yellow face, while females have a black face.
- Habitat: Boring bees prefer nesting in soft, unpainted wood, such as old fence posts, dead trees, or wooden structures like decks, eaves, and siding. They are commonly found in wooded areas, gardens, and urban environments.
- Behavior: Boring bees get their name from their nesting behavior. They excavate tunnels in wood, creating round entrance holes about half an inch in diameter. These tunnels can extend several feet into the wood. Inside the tunnels, female bees construct individual brood chambers, where they lay eggs and provide pollen and nectar provisions for the developing larvae.
- Lifecycle: Boring bees have a one-year lifecycle. The adults emerge in the spring from overwintering tunnels and begin mating. After mating, the females seek out suitable nesting sites and excavate their tunnels. They lay eggs, and the hatched larvae feed on the provisions left by their mothers. The larvae pupate within the tunnels and emerge as adult bees the following spring.
- Pollination: Boring bees are important pollinators, primarily of native plants. While they do feed on nectar, they are not as efficient at pollination as some other bee species because they tend to “rob” nectar by bypassing the flower’s reproductive structures.
- Sting and behavior: Boring bees are generally docile and rarely sting. Male bees may display territorial behavior, hovering near nesting areas and intimidating intruders, but they lack stingers and cannot sting. Female bees have stingers but are unlikely to sting unless directly provoked or handled.
- Management: If you have a problem with boring bees damaging wooden structures on your property, there are several management techniques you can employ. These include filling existing tunnels, sealing and painting exposed wood, or providing alternative nesting sites such as untreated wooden bee houses placed away from valuable structures.
If you need help getting rid of boring bees, contact Bell-Exterminating today!
