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Carpenter Bees in Delaware
Big bees that drill round holes in bare wood eaves, doors and decks in spring.
| Peak season | Apr – May |
|---|---|
| Size | 3/4 – 1 inch |
| Risk | Property — tunnels in exposed wood; females rarely sting |
How to identify them
Large bees, about 3/4 to 1 inch long, that resemble bumble bees. The top of a carpenter bee’s abdomen is mostly hairless and shiny black; a bumble bee’s abdomen is fully covered in hair, much of it yellow. Males have yellow faces. The nest entrance is a nearly perfectly round hole about 1/2 inch across.
Carpenter Bees in Delaware
Delaware agencies don’t publish a carpenter bee fact sheet, so this page relies on Penn State and University of Maryland Extension. In the Mid-Atlantic, carpenter bees look for nest sites in April and May. They favor unpainted wood such as doors, windowsills and roof eaves, usually wood more than two inches thick. They don’t eat the wood — they feed on nectar and pollen — and new adults emerge in August, then spend the winter in the tunnels.
When they’re active
Swipe to see all 12 months →
What you can do now
- Paint or varnish the entire wood surface. Stained wood is not usually protected.
- Fill nail holes and cracks with caulk or putty before painting.
- Don’t plug active holes right away. Fill them in fall with wood putty or wooden dowels.
- Vinyl or aluminum siding and other non-wood surfaces keep carpenter bees out entirely.
When to call a pro
One bee’s nest won’t cause structural damage, but tunnels reused and expanded year after year can, and woodpeckers may damage the wood while feeding on the young bees. University of Maryland Extension suggests hiring a pest control company when the bees are in an overhead or hard-to-reach place. Carpenter bees are native pollinators, so focus on protecting the wood you care about.
Carpenter Bees: common questions
Is it a carpenter bee or a bumble bee?
Look at the abdomen. A carpenter bee’s is mostly hairless and shiny black. A bumble bee’s is fully covered in hair, much of it yellow.
Will carpenter bees sting me?
Males can’t sting. Females can but seldom do, and University of Maryland Extension notes they sting only when handled or touched.
When should I fill carpenter bee holes?
Not right away. Penn State Extension recommends filling holes in fall with wood putty or wooden dowels, then painting or varnishing the whole surface. Stain usually doesn’t protect the wood.
Where in Delaware
Where carpenter bees rank on each county’s top-pest list:
- New Castle County Not in the county top six
- Kent County Not in the county top six
- Sussex County Not in the county top six
Towns where carpenter bees are on the local top-pest list: