Carpenter Bee Control
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Carpenter Bee Extermination Services
Stride Pest Control provides carpenter bee control for homes and businesses across Central Texas, where these large, shiny bees bore perfectly round holes into eaves, decks, fascia, and fence rails to nest. Carpenter bees are hard to control on your own because the damage builds year after year as the bees reuse and expand the same tunnels.
Stride treats carpenter bees through the Stride Forward integrated pest management process, treating the galleries the bees bore, then sealing them so the wood is not reused, and addressing the bare, unfinished wood that attracts them.
Every treatment is backed by a same-day service option and a satisfaction guarantee. Carpenter bees are one of several stinging insects Stride treats, covered under our broader stinging insect control and general pest control services.
Carpenter Bees In Central Texas
Carpenter bees are best known for the clean, round holes they leave in wood, and they are a damage pest far more than a stinging one.
| Trait | Carpenter Bee |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Large and robust with a shiny black abdomen, unlike the fuzzy, yellow-marked bumble bee |
| The damage | Bores perfectly round, dime-sized holes into eaves, decks, fascia, and rails |
| Nesting | Tunnels into the wood to lay eggs, and galleries expand as bees reuse them |
| Males | Hover and dart at people but have no stinger |
| Females | Can sting but rarely do unless handled |
| The bigger problem | Woodpeckers tear open galleries to eat the larvae, worsening the damage |
Because carpenter bees reuse and enlarge the same tunnels year after year, the Texas A&M AgriLife guide to carpenter bees stresses treating and sealing the galleries rather than just the bees.
Signs You Have Carpenter Bees
Carpenter bees leave clear, physical evidence:
- Perfectly round, dime-sized holes in eaves, decks, fascia, and rails.
- Sawdust and yellowish staining on the wood below the holes.
- Large shiny bees hovering around wood structures.
- Males darting at people who pass near the wood.
- Woodpecker damage opening up the galleries.
Are Carpenter Bees Dangerous?
Carpenter bees are a wood-damage pest more than a sting threat. The males that hover and dart at people cannot sting at all, and the females sting only if they are handled, so stings are rare.
The real concern is the wood. A single hole is minor, but the galleries expand as bees reuse the same wood season after season, and the damage worsens when woodpeckers tear the tunnels open to reach the larvae. Left alone, carpenter bees can cause meaningful cosmetic and structural damage to eaves, decks, and trim.
How We Get Rid of Carpenter Bees
Stride treats carpenter bees through the five-step Stride Forward process, aimed at the galleries and the wood that attracts them:
- Inspect. We find the round holes and galleries in eaves, decks, fascia, and rails.
- Identify. We confirm carpenter bees and the extent of the wood damage.
- Recommend. We advise treating and sealing the galleries and painting or sealing the exposed wood.
- Treat. We treat the galleries to eliminate the bees, then plug the holes so they cannot be reused.
- Evaluate. We return to confirm the galleries are inactive and properly sealed.
Our GreenPro certification guides this reduced-risk approach.
How to Keep Carpenter Bees Away
Keeping carpenter bees off the wood is mostly about finishing and sealing it:
- Paint or varnish exposed wood, since they prefer bare, weathered surfaces.
- Fill and seal old holes once they are inactive.
- Use hardwoods or treated wood where practical for new work.
- Check eaves, decks, and rails each spring.
- Treat and plug galleries before the bees re-emerge.
Carpenter Bee Control Frequently Asked Questions
Are the round holes in my deck from bees?
Yes. Carpenter bees bore clean, round, dime-sized holes into eaves, decks, fascia, and rails to nest. Sawdust and yellow staining on the wood just below the hole are the giveaways.
Do carpenter bees sting?
Rarely. The males that hover and dart at you cannot sting at all, and the females sting only if handled. The concern with carpenter bees is wood damage, not stings.
How much damage do carpenter bees cause?
A single hole is minor, but galleries expand as bees reuse the same wood year after year, and woodpeckers opening them up to reach the larvae makes it much worse over time. Left unchecked, the damage adds up.
How do I keep carpenter bees from coming back?
Treat and plug the existing holes, then paint or seal the exposed wood. Carpenter bees strongly prefer bare, weathered wood over finished surfaces, so sealing the wood is what keeps them from returning.
THE STRIDE FORWARD PROGRAM
Our Strategic ECO-BASED Protocol
Stride Forward is our Integrated Pest Management program where we partner with our clients in the long-term removal and prevention of pests. Keeping your property free of unwanted insects and rodents works best when we work together.
The program combines habitat manipulation, biological control, cultural behavior changes, and the targeted use of products designed to repel or eradicate pests. Our approach follows five steps, with non-chemical methods prioritized before any product application.
Our Certifications & Awards
Stride Pest Control holds QualityPro and GreenPro certifications through the NPMA’s Foundation for Professional Pest Management, and fewer than 3% of pest control companies nationwide hold both. QualityPro requires background checks on every service member, a drug-free workplace, and 16 standards that exceed state and federal requirements.
Our Austin and Round Rock office operates under Texas Department of Agriculture license TPCL #667951, with Burton Johnston as Responsible Certified Applicator. Our San Antonio office operates under TPCL #827449, with Alex Randall as Responsible Certified Applicator. Our office manager, Michael Honeycutt, is an Associate Certified Entomologist through the Entomological Society of America.
Founded in 2013, we have served nearly 12,000 customers across Central Texas and hold a 4.9-star rating across 2,400+ reviews with an A+ from the BBB.
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Stride Pest Control received an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars
based on 2,400+ reviews.
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