Family: Apidae

Genus: Xylocopa 

Carpenter bees are well known because of their wood nesting behavior and often large bumble bee-like appearance. They range in size from small to large, and from black/shiny to yellow/fuzzy. Carpenter bees can often be an unwelcomed guest nesting in the wood structures of houses. As with any undesired pest, the key is making the your home unappealing, while offering the bees an alternate habitat in areas where they are welcome. 

Carpenter bees, as their name suggests, are attracted to wood. Coating all wood surfaces with polyurethane or oil based paints will make them unattractive to bees. If you have bees nesting in your wood structures, caulking and filling their holes before painting over is a solution.

Another possible solution is placing untreated wood structures in your garden to provide an alternate nesting site. Male carpenter bees are stingless, and generally, these bees are non-aggressive. They pollinate orchard fruits and vegetable crops like tomato and eggplant. Creating habitat for them can be a huge asset for your garden! (Photo Credit: Viette, from Viette's Garden Blog)