Carpenter Bee
Large hovering bees that bore perfect round holes in wood trim, fascia and fences.
Photo: Diana Foreman (CC0) · public domain/CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
About 25 mm, resembling a bumblebee but with a shiny, hairless black abdomen (bumblebees have fuzzy yellow abdomens). Males hover aggressively at face level but cannot sting; females can sting but rarely do.
Untreated, unpainted or weathered soft wood: cedar, pine, cypress and redwood trim, fascia boards, wooden fences, decks, pergolas and furniture.
- Perfect 10 mm diameter round holes bored in unpainted wood — fascia, soffits, decking, fences
- Coarse sawdust (frass) below the holes
- Yellow pollen staining below the entry hole
- Large bees hovering near wood structures, especially in spring
Structural damage is the primary concern — tunnels extend up to 15 cm and can compromise fascia and trim. Woodpeckers often attack carpenter bee galleries, causing secondary damage far worse than the bees themselves. Re-used tunnels grow deeper each year.
Rhino treats active tunnels directly, plugs them to prevent woodpecker access, and applies a residual to the wood surface to deter future boring. Painting or staining bare wood is the best long-term prevention.
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