![]() ![]() The bee will then set about creating between 5 and 6 cells to rear her brood. This ensures the nest is located in the safest location possible away from potential predators. The process of creating a nest does not end after simply boring a hole, the female bee will then need to begin creating a suitable space to raise her young larvae.Īfter boring a small depth the female carpenter bee will turn left or right and tunnel in parallel to the surface of the wood. They continue this process in a circular motion slowly but surely removing more wood and creating a borehole. While they will often opt to create nests around other carpenter bees they do not act as a colony and do not have a queen or matriarch. Unlike honeybees, carpenter bees are not social and they build their nest individually. You may even see wood shaving at the entrance to the hole, evidence that the nest has been created recently. Carpenter bees set about using their large powerful mandibles to begin to bore into the softwood. However, wood does provide the perfect location for a safe and secure nest site. The process of creating a nest can be easily mistaken for bees actually feeding on softwoods, due to bees’ predominantly nectar and pollen-rich diet they would be unable to ingest any wood matter due to an inability to process it in their digestive system. Why does it look like bees are eating wood? The eastern states of the US in particular struggle with damage caused by carpenter bee nests.Ĭheck out our guide on carpenter bees for more information about this fascinating species. While these beautiful insects bring joy to many they are one of the usual suspects regarding wood damage on your property. These bees will often opt for softwoods to make their tunnelling efforts more effective and less time-consuming. This ingenious technique allows the bee to raise her young in a protected space with only one method of entry. These holes are typically ½-inch in diameter and perfectly rounded. No, while it might look like bees are eating wood, they are actually carpenter bees using their large mandibles to tunnel inside, create a nest, and do not actually ingest any of the wood extracted during this process. Last updated on April 3rd, 2023 at 02:22 pm
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