Do Carpenter Bees Sting? 5 Important Things To Know

Have you ever noticed a perfectly circular hole in your deck or siding, only to see a pesky bee emerge from it? These are carpenter bees! They typically appear in late spring to start nesting, so you may be wondering if these buzzing bees can sting.

So, do carpenter bees sting? Male carpenter bees cannot sting, but female carpenter bees can. However, female carpenter bees are docile and rarely sting except when handled or touched. If you encounter a carpenter bee buzzing around your head, it’s most likely a male protecting the nest.

Below, I’ll go over all you need to know about carpenter bees, including whether or not they sting. I’ll also cover a few ways to prevent these wood-boring insects from making your deck look like Swiss cheese!

Identifying Carpenter Bees

Bees come in all shapes and sizes, but the similarities between them make it difficult to distinguish one bee species from another. Carpenter bees are most commonly mistaken for bumblebees.

Below are the major differences between bumble bees and carpenter bees.

Carpenter Bee Nests

Carpenter bee nests are unique compared to other bee nests, making them easy to identify. According to Cornell University, carpenter bee holes are usually ⅜ – ½ inch in diameter. 

You can find carpenter bee nests in a variety of places, including:

• Shingles
• Siding
• Decks
• Picnic Tables
• Doors
• Sills
• Soffits
• Fascia
• Fence Posts

In addition to the circular holes, you may see small piles of sawdust near the holes, indicating it is an active nest. There may also be sticky yellow waste to the side of the hole, which can eventually turn black with mold and stain wood surfaces.

Finding a suitable nest is just one reason why bees might stick around, even in the presence of humans. Check out our guide on why bees won’t leave on their own to learn more!

Do Carpenter Bees Sting? Here are 5 Things To Know

Let’s get down to the meat and potatoes of this article: Do carpenter bees sting? How likely is it that you’ll get stung by one of these buzzing insects this summer?

To put it simply, carpenter bees rarely sting. However, there is a chance you’ll be on the receiving end of one of their painful stings under specific circumstances.

1. Male Carpenter Bees Do Not Sting

Carpenter bees are solitary creatures, so you won’t see a ton of bees swarming outside the nest (thank goodness!). However, the male bee that mates with a female will get territorial around the nest she creates.

Male carpenter bees are known to ‘dive bomb’ people who get too close to their nests. They will also aggressively defend the nest from other male bees by diving after the other males.

The good news is that male bees do not have a stinger, so they cannot sting you. They may act aggressive if you get too close to the nest, but they are all bark, no bite!

2. Female Carpenter Bees Can Sting, But Probably Won’t

Female carpenter bees are master architects of wooden structures. They do not eat wood, but rather use it to excavate a nest and then seal single eggs within chambers to keep them safe until they hatch.

These hard-working mama bees are usually too busy caring for their young and excavating nests to sting you. Additionally, female carpenter bees are docile unless they are handled or touched.

I’m not sure about you, but I have no desire to handle a bee! As long as you leave them alone, they’ll leave you alone.

3. Carpenter Bees Are Not Aggressive

Have you ever noticed that some insects are more aggressive than others? Luckily, carpenter bees are not aggressive. Their solitary nature means they aren’t a swarming insect.

Carpenter bees will only sting under very specific circumstances, such as when handled or touched. Male carpenter bees may act aggressively by diving at your face, but they cannot sting you and are just defending the nest from perceived intruders.

Wasps, including hornets, are much more aggressive and more likely to sting you. If you’re dealing with a wasp nest around the home, check out our article on the 9 Ways to Get Rid of Wasp Nests Safely!

4. Carpenter Bee Nests Are Obvious

If you’ve ever made the unfortunate mistake of stepping on a ground bee nest, then you know the terror of running across the yard, beating at your arms, and hoping to reach the front door before you get stung.

Luckily, carpenter bee nests are very obvious due to the nearly perfect circular holes made into wooden structures. This makes the nests more visible to humans, making it easier to avoid those areas.

5. Carpenter Bees Return To The Same Nest Year After Year

The life span of a carpenter bee is typically only one year, sometimes as long as three years. However, each new generation of carpenter bees will typically return to the same nest where they were born.

With each new generation, the carpenter bee will excavate a little more, creating a bigger nest. Other bees from the brood that have survived may build nests nearby.

The familiarity of the bees with the nesting location may make them less territorial around humans who are seen around the same nest year after year. The bees may become habituated to the presence of humans, seeing us as less of a threat.

Carpenter Bee Management

As unlikely as it is to get stung by a carpenter bee, these pollinating insects still create problems when they bore into our wooden structures. As mentioned previously, each new bee that inhabits the nest will excavate further and further, weakening wood and causing issues with the stability of these structures.

To top it off, woodpeckers will enhance these holes as they search for tasty bee larvae snacks, increasing the damage and widening the holes. 

Once a carpenter bee has made a hole in the wood, it’s opening it up to several types of damage:

• Moisture damage: moisture from rain and snow will enter the hole and accelerate the rate of wood decay.
• Mold: Carpenter bees excrete a yellow substance outside of their nests. This excrement attracts mold and can stain wooden surfaces.
• Structural damage: If the carpenter bee nest has been used for several years, the nest may be a few feet long inside the wood, weakening the structural integrity of decks, picnic tables, and other wooden structures.

Management of carpenter bees is only necessary if they are causing damage to wooden structures. When this occurs, there are plenty of options to remove and deter these buzzing adversaries.

Paint The Wood

Carpenter bees have no qualms about chewing into raw, unfinished, or stained wood. Yep, even stained wood can’t deter them! One thing that can deter them? Paint!

We all know that paint has a strong smell. This is mainly due to the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs have a naturally powerful smell and a toxic taste, which deters carpenter bees from making a home out of any painted wood on your property.

Pigmented paints, as opposed to clear coats and varnishes, contain higher VOC levels, making them more likely to deter carpenter bees. You can read about the other scents that bees hate here! It may give you more inspiration on how to deter these pesky insects.

Fill Cracks and Holes Immediately

Splinters, nail holes, and cracks in the wood are all attractive to carpenter bees. It gives them a head start on building a nest. Try to fill these types of cracks and holes with putty or caulking as soon as you notice them.

A good schedule would be to fill all holes and cracks in late winter before carpenter bees start emerging and searching for nest locations. Keep an eye on your handiwork throughout the summer. Determined carpenter bees may chew through the putty/caulking if they’re really determined!

Alternatively, try filling the holes in late summer after the new carpenter bees have emerged. After all, these insects may be a bit destructive, but they are extremely beneficial pollinators, so we want to avoid eliminating them.

Build With Hardwoods When Possible

If you’re building a deck, shed, fence posts, or any other wooden structure on your property, try using hardwood instead of softwood when possible. Hardwood is less attractive to carpenter bees than softwood.

Hardwood trees typically grow more slowly than softwood trees, which means their wood is usually denser and stronger. Carpenter bees aim for softwood because it is easier to chew through than hardwood.

• Oak, walnut, beech, maple, and ash are all examples of hardwood trees commonly used in construction, especially for fencing, decks, frame-building, and flooring. 

• Woods like redwood, cedar, cypress, and pine are common softwoods that are targeted by carpenter bees. These types of wood should be avoided when possible.

Physical Barriers

Physically sealing the holes created by carpenter bees is an excellent way to prevent them from returning the next year. 

Here are some ways to seal up those carpenter bee holes for good:

• Steel Wool: Stuff some steel wool into the bee holes, leaving it close to the hole’s entrance. Carpenter bees cannot chew through steel wool and will be prevented from entering. Add caulking to the steel wool to keep it in place and add an extra layer of security.
• Stainless Steel Mesh: Place stainless steel mesh over the carpenter bee holes. Make sure the holes in the mesh are small enough to prevent the bees from entering.

Once the holes are sealed, consider painting over them to deter carpenter bees from returning to that area. Remember, carpenter bees are beneficial insects. It’s best to put these prevention methods into practice before bees nest in the hole or after they have emerged for the season.

Use Pressure-Treated Wood

When choosing a type of wood for your next project, consider not only choosing a hardwood, but also pressure-treated wood. Pressure treated wood lasts longer because it is infused with water and a preservative agent that helps extend its lifespan.

Pressure-treated wood contains chemical agents like alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ), copper azole (CA), or micronized copper azole (MCA). While these names don’t matter very much, the take-home point is that these chemicals prevent pests like carpenter bees and termites and also battle against fungus and natural decay, making them a good choice for any wood structure!

That’s A Wrap!

If you’re worried about whether carpenter bees sting or not, don’t be. It’s very unlikely that you’ll be stung by a carpenter bee.

To recap, here are the important takeaways from this article about whether or not carpenter bees sting:

• Male Bees Do Not Sting: Like most bee species, the male carpenter bee does not have a stinger and cannot sting you. 
• Female Bees Can Sting, But Probably Won’t: Female carpenter bees have a stinger and are capable of stinging multiple times without perishing, but they are very unlikely to sting unless handled or touched.
• Beneficial Insects: Carpenter bees are beneficial insects and pollinators, similar to honey bees. If they are not causing serious structural damage, carpenter bees can be left alone. 
• Repelling Techniques: If carpenter bees are causing extreme damage, use the repelling techniques discussed above, like painting the wood, filling cracks and nail holes, building with hardwoods and pressure-treated wood, and using physical barriers like steel wool and mesh.

In the end, it’s not likely you’ll be stung by a carpenter bee. They are usually docile and solitary. However, if you have tens of carpenter bee nests around your home, don’t hesitate to reach out to a pest control professional for some help!