Carpenter Bees Still A Threat To East Tennessee Homes

Carpenter Bees Still A Threat To East Tennessee Homes

When we think of bees, or just insects in general, it’s no surprise that we think about the warmer spring and summer weather. That’s because most insects don’t survive through the fall and winter months. Bees, in particular, will gather within their hives to hibernate while they wait for spring to turn up again. Carpenter bees shouldn’t be any different, right? Well, while these problematic pests are similar to other insects in the fact that they prefer to avoid the winter weather, the fact is, here in Tennessee, our weather tends to stay warm well into early fall. This means that these fuzzy black bees will continue to do their work until the temperature actually starts dropping.

Carpenter bees look similar to their bumblebee cousins, who never really bother anybody. Often, this means that homeowners don’t realize they have a problem until the damage becomes extensive. You may see what looks like a bumblebee buzzing around the exterior of your home and don’t really think much of it because a bumblebee will do no damage to your home. Unfortunately, carpenter bees cause a lot of damage, especially if they choose to build their nests in the structure of your home.

Of course, one carpenter bee won’t cause much of a problem. It’s when carpenter bees continue to come back and lengthen those tunnels that they start becoming an issue. Additionally, carpenter bees will visit year after year to nest, continuing to drill deeper into the soft wood of your home to create structural damage within. Warping, bending, and breaking of wooden structures is not uncommon for homes where carpenter bees have invaded. Wooden staircases, railings, and roofing are all in danger of being bored into and damaged. Carpenter bee larvae even draw woodpeckers to your home, which can create even more damage if left unchecked.

There are several ways to help prevent carpenter bees from deciding your home is a good nesting site, ranging from eliminating moisture to closing holes you find in the exterior of your home with a professional grade wood filler. However, if you’re already experiencing problems with carpenter bees, professional pest control is always the safest and quickest way to rid your home of these insects. DIY methods of removal can often result in failed efforts and wasted money, but at Russell’s Pest Control, we promise to protect your home and eliminate carpenter bees living inside. Our pest control experts will come to your home, identify any pest problems you have, and provide you with a plan to keep your home and family safe from damage and harm. Contact Russell’s Pest Control today to request your free estimate.

Don’t Underestimate The Carpenter Bee

Don't Underestimate The Carpenter Bee

When we hear the term carpenter, we instantly think of those skilled individuals that can help make our homes more desirable, add equity, or fix things in our homes that our DIY loving husbands break. All of this is very true unless we are talking about carpenter bees as they are quite the opposite.

Carpenter bees make individual nests near one another by tunneling into the wood, using the hollow area to lay eggs. They tend to find good nesting places in unpainted outbuildings, or deck boards that are not treated. Every spring they return to their same nests, burrowing ever deeper or wider to accommodate their needs. Their nesting galleries can be very intricate and cause severe damage to the wood they are infesting. With that, woodpeckers love to feed on carpenter bee larvae and can further damage the wood of a house, outbuilding, or boards of a deck trying to reach them.

Carpenter bees are not aggressive, and may not be that dangerous to humans, but they can end up causing a lot of damage to a home. It is important that homeowners understand that DIY options are be both dangerous and ineffective, so it is very important for homeowners in the Knoxville, TN area to call on the experts at Russell’s Pest Control.

Russell’s Pest control offers year-round pest control treatments that are designed to completely eliminate carpenter bee infestations. Our Power Platinum plan is perfect for the homeowner looking the year-round peace of mind that comes with knowing that your property will remain free of pests. Homeowners can take preventative steps to help in this effort, carpenter bees are more likely to attack unfinished wood, so making sure that your home, outbuildings, and decks are either painted or stained is key avoiding these pests. Inspect these areas for holes where carpenter bees have already started nesting and keep an eye open for new activity. Pests are more easily controlled if caught early, and treating the area early can save you from costly damages. And, even though carpenter bees are not aggressive, they will defend themselves and their nests if disturbed. That’s why it is so important to call on a professional pest control company to help you get rid of an active infestation.

Included in our year-round Power Platinum program is:

  • Protection that covers 30+ common pests

  • Protection from termites, mosquitoes, ticks, carpenter bees, and fire ants

  • Russell’s Pest Free Guarantee – if pests return, so do we!

For more information and to set up an initial inspection, give the experts at Russell’s Pest Control a call today.