How to Get Rid of Carpenter Bees: Complete Guide for Homeowners

Last updated: March 5, 2026

By James — 25-year pest control industry veteran

Carpenter bees bore perfectly round, half-inch holes into wood decks, fascia boards, eaves, pergolas, and other exposed wood structures. While a single hole is mostly cosmetic, carpenter bees return to the same wood year after year, expanding their galleries and weakening the structure over time. This guide covers how to identify carpenter bees, remove them safely, protect your wood, and decide whether professional treatment is necessary.

Identifying Carpenter Bees

Carpenter bees closely resemble bumblebees in size and shape, but there are key differences:

Male carpenter bees are the ones that hover in your face when you walk near their nesting area. They cannot sting. Female carpenter bees can sting but almost never do unless physically handled.

Damage Carpenter Bees Cause

Carpenter bees do not eat wood. They excavate it to create nesting galleries where they lay eggs. Each gallery starts with a perfectly round entrance hole (about 1/2 inch diameter) that turns 90 degrees and extends several inches along the wood grain.

The real concern is cumulative damage over years:

• Female bees return to the same wood annually and extend existing galleries
• Daughters often nest near their mothers, multiplying the number of holes
• Galleries can reach 6 to 10 feet long after several years of reuse
• Woodpeckers drill into wood to feed on carpenter bee larvae, causing additional, often more visible damage
• Water can enter through unsealed holes and accelerate wood rot

The most commonly targeted wood includes cedar, redwood, pine, and other softwoods. Hardwoods and pressure-treated lumber are rarely attacked.

Why They Return Year After Year

Carpenter bees leave pheromone trails on wood they have nested in. These chemical signals attract new bees to the same wood the following spring. This is why infestations tend to get worse over time rather than going away on their own. It also means that simply killing the bees without treating or sealing the wood will not solve the problem.

DIY Removal Methods

Treat existing holes with insecticidal dust

Apply residual insecticidal dust (such as deltamethrin or carbaryl dust) into each active gallery using a hand duster. Do this in the evening when bees are inside the holes. The dust coats the gallery walls and kills bees as they enter and exit. Wait 24 to 48 hours before sealing the holes.

Seal holes properly

After treating, plug each hole with a piece of steel wool followed by wood putty or a wooden dowel and exterior wood filler. The steel wool prevents any surviving bees from chewing back through. Do this in fall after the nesting season ends (September or October). Sealing holes in spring while bees are active can cause them to bore new exit holes.

Paint or stain all exposed wood

Carpenter bees strongly prefer bare, unpainted, unstained wood. Painting or staining all exposed wood surfaces is one of the most effective long-term deterrents. This is especially important for decks, fascia boards, eaves, pergolas, and fence posts.

Hang carpenter bee traps

Commercial carpenter bee traps mimic nesting holes and catch bees in a collection chamber. They work best when placed near existing holes in early spring before nesting season begins. Traps help reduce the population but rarely eliminate an infestation on their own.

Use hardwood or composite materials

When replacing damaged wood, consider using hardwood, composite decking, or PVC trim. Carpenter bees cannot bore into these materials. This eliminates the problem permanently for that structure.

Important: Carpenter Bees Are Pollinators

Carpenter bees are important native pollinators, particularly effective at pollinating open-faced flowers, tomatoes, and other garden plants through "buzz pollination." If carpenter bees are nesting in a garden structure, fence post, or firewood pile where structural damage is not a concern, consider leaving them alone. Treatment is most warranted when they are boring into your home, deck, or other costly structures.

When to Call a Professional

Consider calling a professional exterminator for carpenter bees if:

• You have dozens of holes across multiple structures
• The wood shows signs of extensive gallery damage (soft spots, visible tunneling)
• Woodpeckers are actively drilling into the wood (indicating large larval populations inside)
• The holes are in hard-to-reach locations (high eaves, second-story fascia)
• DIY treatment has not reduced activity after a full season

Professional carpenter bee treatment typically costs $150 to $400 and involves dust application into each gallery, residual spray on wood surfaces, and recommendations for sealing and prevention. For full pricing details, see our bee removal cost guide. For general pricing, see our pest control cost guide.

Preventing Carpenter Bees

• Paint or stain all exposed wood surfaces, including the undersides of decks and eaves
• Use hardwood, composite, or PVC materials for new construction and replacements
• Fill and seal all existing holes in fall after nesting season
• Hang carpenter bee traps near previously infested areas in early spring
• Apply residual insecticide spray to wood surfaces before nesting season (March to April)
• Remove dead trees and stumps near the home that may attract nesting

If you are unsure whether you are dealing with carpenter bees, wasps, or hornets, see our guide on how to get rid of wasps or our guide on when to call an exterminator.

Frequently Asked Questions