Why Carpenter Bees Drill Holes in Houses: A Moment of Science

Museum educator Bob Alderink gives the inside scoop on the world's first soccer moms, the Xylocopa.

[@AcornHillHomestead]

We have tons of these in our yard. We love to watch them. They fly up close to us as if checking us out. In all the years they have been here we have never been stung. They just check us out. Sure they drill holes and leave us the next crop of bees. We love having them in the yard. A few holes are not going to hurt us. We need to do what we can to encourage these little creatures an help their numbers grow. They are pollinators and food for other wildlife.

[@jedidiahfleming7751]

Only the females are equipped with stingers, and they only sting when threatened. The males, on the other hand, (the ones that dart around and chase each other and other bugs) do not have stingers! They're harmless. Yes, they can do a little damage, but not even close to as much as humans. They're welcome neighbors in my yard.

[@t.b.3575]

Thank you for this informative, simple, extremely important and well-made video! Great job, long enough to get the most relevant topic information out, but short enough to engage and hold the interest of those watching!Just another "proud to be a North Carolinian" moment for me! Here's to many more!

[@theoryaction]

Your videos are fascinating, well produced, and easy to understand. I'm surprised that so few people have watched them. Try getting them out to more people through social networking.

[@megantan3709]

I really love your videos! They're not the longest, but they include some of the most interesting information! I agree with Theoryaction, your videos deserve more views! Good work and I hope you produce more videos :3

[@TheM2heavy]

Are carpenter bees in the Union or some kind of trade Guild.

[@mechamercdraws765]

I have a ton of them in the shaded front patio overhang of my home. Calm and docile, they can be seen floating around, often stationary observing who knows what. This building has been here since about 1958 and the adjacent barn and over hang since the early 80s. My Great Grandfather says the awning is made from local Cyprus and the bees seem to prefer it over other timbers.

[@kellyclark2806]

This is amazing ... and explains what's going on on our roof! We love our carpenter bee and will support her work :)

[@tracyhopson3442]

Thanks for the video.. Love watching stuff like this...🐝

[@atbz6952]

Man screw that! One of those things put a divot in my door!

[@misssincere5762]

At Bz 🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂

[@MarcellaSmithVegan]

These bees are one of the last pollinators in the USA as the honey bees being killed by over use of pesticides by large farm operations, other bees such as the carpenter bee or mason bee are all we have left. Try PAINTING your home, they don't drill a hole on painted wood, or live wood. They are only laying their eggs for future pollinators, if you put up mason bee houses than they don't 'drill' holes in your unpainted house.

[@grettagrids]

so then my maple tree is good?

[@mountaingirl3437]

VeganMarcella andMore That's a great idea! Bee lodges are perfect! You can put a bee Lodge in your garden and deter them from drilling holes in your house! I watched a video a couple minutes ago of a man killing quite a few carpenter bees and I just found that very disturbing! Once they drill a hole and make their nest... what's done is done! I would suggest waiting until they abandon the nest and plug up the whole! And like you said carpenter bees do not like painted wood... So if you don't want these bees drilling holes in the wood of your home simply paint your house!

[@scatoni]

VeganMarcella andMore they do drill through painted wood I can testify to that

[@ripno2672]

+VeganMarcella andMore,bumble bees arent extinct,i have a colony of these bees that live at my school. EDIT: i meant honey bees

[@SwimmingintheDeep]

BS. I'm sitting here watching a carpenter bee drill right into a painted surface, a brand new painted surface.

[@taylorbean3630]

I just rescued one of them on my porch.

[@charliep5139]

Awesome video especially at 0:20 where you show the side by side comparision.

[@chacheekent8604]

One of my favorite insects is the Tiger Bee Fly. They are absolutely beautiful and a predator of the Carpenter Bee. Natural selection at its finest. Some bees make it. Some Tiger Bee Flies make it.

[@dotdotdot3898]

Currently sitting next to one digging. I'm just gonna let her be.

[@kernalfleak]

U should of wrote be as bee

[@wesleysmith2700]

@@kernalfleak no, as a beekeeper I've heard too many beekeeping puns. Just don't.😂

[@tanyakellogg3341]

Let her BEE 🐝 GET IT??! 🤣

[@instantchildbirth2746]

This is an awesome video, great work team

[@bs2455]

I moved into a house that has a 20 foot holly tree in front of it. A week ago, it bloomed and now I have tons of carpenter bees and they're digging in the fascia of my home...

[@joeavelar2222]

And it's why woodpeckers are also tearing apart the facia boards on my home. They feed on the grubs.

[@zanction5539]

So do the bees who were laid first have to wait for the other bees to grow up also or do they just make their own exits

[@stevanrose7439]

Thanks for your info. I thought that they only layed one egg per hole 🕳.

[@mikemm03]

A squirt of carb cleaner in the hole and she's toast. Caulk up the hole

[@Handdial]

Thank you

[@Iniak.]

We found these holes and you explained it perfect! In our time of need you had the best explanation.

[@R3TR0R4V3]

Bumblebee Badminton!

[@sherirae3658]

I don't appreciate it. Until I figured out they ruined my deck where we keep our lawnmower and weed eater. I really thought someone was shooting at our deck.. Till I seen them, then I tried to do it with the boxes with jars.. I looked and didn't want to kill all the bugs so I started to just plug the holes. That didn't work they ate thru that.. Time to watch and appreciate the video on how to get rid and KILL all of these terrible things. They really don't seem to do any good to anyone.

[@diplomatboy21]

Dang I'm having this problem now

[@ellenmorris7247]

It would be nice if you would also say a little about the value they provide in our eco system so they are not just seen as pests to be killed, which is typical human behaviour.

[@arher9598]

Well the diversity of bee species is important. I'd heard Carpenter bees is more efficient on pollinating plants than european honey bees (they said 300 of them equivalent to a thousand honey bees).. Different bees species also have different work time like when honey bees going back to their nest, some of other bees just starting their time to pollinate flowers who only bloom at night. So gotta protect the diversity of bees, as people only know bee = honey bees. Plus solitary ones like this is more prone to extinct than honey bees cause people dont breed them

[@demammoet]

Don't know why, but carpenter bees in PA get 1,5 times the size of that bee since that's a visual, its probably double the body weight.

[@uhhsam]

0:27 Today I learned that I am a bumblebee.

[@survivalextreme8270]

Wait, 1 question. Which one digs holes?? The male or the female??

[@devonrazo8006]

How many babies ? And what if the hole they did is small

[@terrajayde]

Interesting ;)

[@mdjabir2679]

Sir Corpenter bee baite karne se kiya hu te hai

[@____-gy5mq]

A moment of silence.

[@prudencebrooks]

Cool!

[@StereoSoundAgent]

Just found one of these guys on a structure i built and want to just remove the whole piece of wood and place it far far away in the woods somewhere

[@PEACE-es4zf]

OMG THEY ARE SOOOOO LOUD WHEN THEY ARE BORING HOLES! and they sing and chew tooo!

[@prudencebrooks]

FatGuyWithaBeard 🤣

[@0xHalox0]

I get bumblebees, often. I never have a problem. The carpenter bees... ugh. I am happy they polinate. However, I have to spray vinegar near them just to get them to fly away. Especially with kids around. I don't kill them just give them a gross taste.

[@ThePoliticalPitbull]

Yeah I came to see driller bees drilling not what they drilled.

[@73er-xy3ky]

They absolutely loveeeee brake kleen

[@linux750]

I like watching the males fight with each other for territory. it's quite amusing

[@user-cw4br4nd5q]

linux750. Lol😂

[@blackdogdancer]

What about the "damage" we do? Cutting down the trees they would have built their homes in? Don't call it damage.

[@zaynabwade9392]

And your Lord inspired the bees, set up hives in the mountains(stone) and amongst the trees(wood) 16:68 surah nahl If you dont get it it is saying that bees can drill rock and trees (solid) . This holy scripture the quran mentioned the bees having the ability to drill rock and trees and houses 1450years ago who could have mentioned that Allah(SWT) is the greatest !!!!!!!

[@Goldphool]

I did not know there were bees that could chew & build nests in rock. 🤯 it's called Anthophora Pueblo, and lives in the western United States it was named in 2016. AH, I am continually reminded.

[@kasquaskannachehukapapansk9857]

Use Ortho Hornet spray this kills them and then caulk their holes shut. Make sure to paint afterwards.

[@mgn5678]

I appreciate their work every day - with my Daisy BB gun.

[@SweetGumMinis]

Fly swatter here, but I'm looking for traps to kill the lot of them. They are horribly destructive and then attract woodpeckers who damage wood even further.

[@Gn0mads]

😮

[@fookutube501]

hate to be the one in the end

[@angelaprater2679]

They sure do a job on rafters and face is seen then take my buddy granddad old tractor building.

[@kibbleracingteamturbor6335]

I got stung by one today when I was making my bench she's gonna die

[@Subcritical96]

I hate carpenter bees