How much damage can a carpenter bee really cause? Should you be worried? Not really, if all you have is one bee attacking your home. The problem is that you're not likely to have only one carpenter bee taking up residence.
A single carpenter bee will not create a very long tunnel. That one bee may only create a tunnel that is 4 to 8 inches long. And it is only the female bee that does this work. Male bees don't do any damage to your home at all.
But here are some factors that will cause this tiny issue to become a big problem.
- If one carpenter bee has decided your home is a good place to live, there is a good chance other carpenter bees are likely to feel the same way. These bees are all looking for an ideal place to live. When you find a carpenter bee hole, it is important to understand what has to be done to make your home less attractive.
- Carpenter bees use the tunneling made by other carpenter bees. If you've had carpenter bees in the past, you are likely to have even more carpenter bees in the future. The longer this cycle goes on, the more damage these insects will cause. New bees will extend the tunneling made by other bees and produce a new batch of bees in those tunnels. This is a problem that needs to be stopped when it is found.
- The more carpenter bees you have living near your home, the more of these bees you'll have checking your home out. Obviously, an increased number of attacking bees will increase how much damage they will be able to do to you home.
- Even a small amount of damage can be a big problem. If you have outside wood steps that lead up to a deck, patio, balcony, or door, those steps could be quickly compromised by carpenter bees. The damage these bees do can weaken steps that look perfectly sound and cause them to snap when stepped on, resulting in personal injury.
If you're seeing carpenter bees around your South Portland home, call the pest experts at Big Blue Bug Solution. We may be new to the Portland area, but we have been servicing New England homes and business since 1935. That is a very long time to learn how to properly control invasive pests, like the humble carpenter bee.
One carpenter bee is no big deal, but this is a small issue that can become a big problem. Don't let these bees go untreated. Get your property protected today.