Middlesex County, New Jersey Carpenter Bee Control
Carpenter bees, while not necessarily aggressive or dangerous, can cause a lot of damage to anything made of wood around your Middlesex County home or business. To avoid this unfortunate occurrence, it is important to educate yourself on carpenter bee behaviors, how to prevent an infestation, and what to do if you see signs of one.
What Are Carpenter Bees?
You can find this large species of bee anywhere in Middlesex County and throughout New Jersey. Sometimes males can seem aggressive as they will defend the female while she works on the nest. However, they do not have stingers and are quite harmless. The females are more focused on destroying your property but do have stingers and will attack if provoked, explain the pest control experts at Viking.
How to Identify Carpenter Bees
Pest management professionals at Viking explain, carpenter bees look like bumblebees and people sometimes confuse the two. Both are large bees, but the easiest way to tell the difference is to examine the abdomen. Carpenter bees have a shiny black abdomen and bumblebees have a fat little fuzzy one. Carpenter bees also prefer to live alone, sharing their nest with only their mate. However, bumblebees are more social and tend to hang out in groups.
What Problems Can Carpenter Bees Cause for New Jersey Home and Business Owners?
One or two carpenter bees will not cause too much damage, but an infestation can destroy wooden structures or weaken them and leave them vulnerable to future damage. Carpenter bees are about 3/4 inch to 1 inch and the holes they make are about the size of a pencil. NJ exterminators at Viking state damage to your eaves, deck, or outdoor furniture can quickly get out of hand.
When Are Carpenter Bees Active in New Jersey?
Carpenter bees are not fans of the cold and hide away during the winter. Pest control experts at Viking that in Middlesex County, they show up around mid to late spring and are active during the summer months.
How to Get Rid of Carpenter Bees in New Jersey
Once you have an infestation, the damage is already done. Thus, prevention is the best method. According to our top pest management professionals, carpenter bees love unpainted softwoods like cedar, cypress, fir, pine, redwood, and spruce. Painting these woods is an excellent way to keep the critters from getting started. Additionally, the New Jersey pest control experts at Viking recommend regularly inspecting your wooden structures like eaves, outdoor furniture, swing sets, porches, and the like to catch signs of an infestation early.