Carpenter Bees Making a Buzz in Monmouth County
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SUBMITTED BY RUTH KORN, GARDEN CLUB R.F.D.
T
found a new creature that was circling my raised beds which were full of
vegetables and herbs – buzzing loudly, a bit of an annoyance. Many of
my neighbors were experiencing the same thing. So, to my computer I went
to research this new occurrence.
These creatures were large with yellow and black patterns. They were
about one inch in length, and their abdomens were shiny, black and fat.
They were not bumble bees because bumble bees have hairy abdomens
that allow pollen to cling to their bodies. Pollen on a carpenter bee falls
on its shoulders because of the process they use in pollination. The males
have yellow faces with a white dot on their heads. Females have faces that
are black. They are commonly seen in the spring, hovering like helicopters
near the eaves, porch rails and under decks – and in my case, by the wooden
raised beds in my garden. I found out that carpenter bees are worldwide in
distribution, with seven species in the United States. They do not have hives
as honeybees do and are semi-solitary bees.
Carpenter bees are often called “wood bees” because they bore into
wood. They do this not for nutrition but for the rearing of the young. The
female carpenter bee bores a channel or corridor in wood from 6 inches to
as long as 4 feet. This is so that they can lay their eggs in divided areas called
“galleries” or “cells.” The female deposits an egg into each cell and then
brings pollen for newly hatched larvae to feed on. The cell is sealed off before
the process is
again repeated.
Although they are
a wood-boring insect,
science does not consider
them to be a true
structural pest. They do
not spread throughout
an entire structure, pre-
-
ished wood. On the other hand, bumble bees nest on the ground and
are quite different in their behavior from carpenter bees.
In exploring the realm of carpenter bees, I discovered that scientists
and researchers feel that these insects do more good than harm,
and therefore, we need not kill them. According to Brannen Basham in
Spriggly’s Beescaping, carpenter bees are amazing native pollinators
birds and increase the yield of certain plant species. Yes, they excavate
wood for nests, but it is done along the wood grain and that does surprisingly
little structural damage.
Whit Gibbons from the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory at the
University of Georgia tells us that males sometimes appear aggressive
in front of the person’s face. However, the males are completely harmless,
as only the females have stingers.
do not possess this ability. Carpenter bees are able to recognize one
Basham said that as our forests are cut down and manicured, fewer
options for nesting sites are left for the carpenter bees – and you
can then understand why wood on houses, decks and barns is inviting
for these creatures. Luckily, there are some ways to make your property
less appealing. Properly staining and/or painting exposed wood
Secondly, try to provide another possible nesting site nearby, such as
a pile of wood or a dead tree. These bees prefer pine and cedar wood
over other types, so those woods are not good choices for your home.
With this information, stop for a moment to watch and hear
the live-action nature show produced by this industrious pollinator.
That’s the advice of the University of Georgia and other experts in
have because they are doing what they are supposed to do: pollinating
your garden.
Garden Club R.F.D. is a member of the Garden Club of New Jersey,
the Central Atlantic Region of State Garden Clubs, Inc. and the National
Garden Clubs, Inc. If you are looking to advance your knowledge in
the presence of others with similar interests, contact Ruth Korn at ruthkorn77@
gmail.com.
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