Bumble Bees vs Carpenter Bees: Should You Get Rid of Them?
As Spring flowers bloom, bees come out from winter hibernation. We love our honeybees, but what about the bumble bees and carpenter bees? Insects are excellent pollinators and vital to plant production, but if they live near or in your house, it’s time to remove them.
We can help you with carpenter bee pest control near Lexington, KY at IPM Pest and Termite. Learn how to keep these from becoming a problem around your home and how to get rid of them if you need help.
Bumble Bees vs Carpenter Bees: How Can You Tell Them Apart?
Honeybees are thin little critters with several stripes across their heads and abdomens. Bumble bees are rounder, fuzzy bees with a strip of yellow across their fuzzy heads and abdomens. Carpenter bees have a strip of yellow across their fuzzy heads, but their abdomens are black and shiny.
Honeybees are the big honey producers. Bumble bees do produce some honey, but humans can’t eat it. However, they start pollinating in early spring. Ideally, we don’t want to kill any of these bees because they’re so vital to plant production. Carpenter bees are responsible for pollinating many plants that we eat, including tomatoes and certain berries, so they’re an essential part of the bee community. However, if they’re confronted, both bumble bees and carpenter bees can be aggressive.
Should You Get Rid of Bumble Bees?
Ideally, you shouldn’t exterminate bumble bees, but if you find them on your property, call IPM Pest control to help remove them. They tend to burrow in the ground, in empty rodent or insect nests, or under piles of leaves, stones, or grass clippings. This isn’t a problem until you mow the grass in the spring or summer and run over it. Then they’ll attack to defend their nest.
Prevention is the best option and one of our most effective pest control methods. If you see any rodent holes, fill them. In the fall, pick up grass clippings and leaves. Make sure that there are no holes in the beams of your house or in any vents.
Should You Get Rid of Carpenter Bees?
Like bumble bees, carpenter bees can be aggressive when disturbed. They can also cause significant damage to wood structures. For this reason, if you find them around your home, you should call IPM Pest and Termite for carpenter bee pest control. After we get rid of them, we can show you how to keep carpenter bees away so they don’t return.
If you want to keep carpenter bees around for their pollination skills, you can set up a block of wood that it’s okay for them to burrow into. Just set it far away from the house and any wood fences.
Contact Us For Carpenter Bee Pest Control near Lexington, KY
As far as bumble bees vs. carpenter bees go, ideally, both should be removed but not exterminated. These pollinators are essential to the bee communities and our food production.
For pest and termite removal or information about how to keep carpenter bees away, call or fill out our online contact form.
IPM Pest and Termite can provide for your pest control needs. We proudly serve the greater Lexington, KY, area, including Nicholasville, Versailles, Georgetown, Richmond, and Winchester, KY. Contact us today!
