Subject: Carpenter bees

From: [email-masked] (Barry Dirks)
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 1996 18:12:32

Can anyone point me to an internet site that would have information on 
carpenter bees? I know this is a beekeeping newsgroup, but I haven't had any 
luck with any search engines finding what I'm looking for, specifically, do 
they sting or bite? I've got cedar eaves on my house and I've got a serious 
problem with them eating into the wood and they like to dive-bomb you as you 
walk past them.<g> I'm concerned for my 2-year old girl playing in the yard.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

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From: [email-masked] (Pollinator)
Date: 18 Mar 1996 07:49:29 -0500

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Barry Dirks)
writes:

>[email-masked]

>walk past them.<g> I'm concerned for my 2-year old girl playing in the
yard.

Barry:

   Carpenter bees appeared here about a week ago, which was an event which
was cause for rejoicing.  They are active in the adult form only in the
spring and are extremely important in pollination of early blossoms,
especially with the losses of honeybees, bumblebees,  and many solitary
bees from parasitic mites and pesticide misuse.

   Carpenter bees are extremely gentle, curious and playful.  They will
often hover in front of you, and play mirror games, moving from side to
side, in "reflection" of your movements.

   Carpenter bees do not want to sting you.  They can sting if threatened,
so do not make violent movements, like swatting at them.  If you get
stung, the cause is not a vicious bee, it is your panicky behaviour. Teach
your daughter to repect them, but not fear them.  Panic is the biggest
enemy.  If you are calm, she will be too.

   My wife tells of her mother shelling peas on the porch and a large red
wasp landing on her bare knee.  All her kids were awestruck, as she calmly
watched the wasp, explaining her behaviour to the children.  After a
couple minutes it flew off.  Had she panicked, she would surely have
gotten stung.  My wife says that is the root of her behavior with stinging
insects.  She is more curious than afraid.

   I have watched carpenter bees over the years, and have not ever seen
significant damage to wood.  Each female bores a small hole, about four
inches deep into a board for her nest.  It is only used one year, and
contains about a half dozen eggs.  Most of the year the bee is in a
dormant life cycle, as the adults die off and disappear in late spring  I
have heard a couple claims that carpenter bees did seriously damage
boards.

   Because of their extremely imporatant role as pollinators, and their
gentleness, I would be very reluctant to hurt them.  If they are seriously
damaging your house, you might want to talk to an exterminator, but
please, only if it is REALLY necessary. 

   I know of no web sites specifically about carpenter bees.  Check our
Pollination Home Page for more general info.

[email-masked]    Dave Green   PO Box 1200,  Hemingway, SC  29554
http://users.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html

[email-masked]                                   Dave Green
Pollination Home Page     http://users.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html  
PO Box 1200, Hemingway, SC    29554

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From: Steve Bambara <[email-masked]>
Date: 18 Mar 1996 13:08:44 GMT

Take a look at 
http://ipm_www.ncsu.edu/insect_notes/Urban/urban_contents.html
and hit the carpenter bee note.

They can bite if you grab them in your hand (though I've never been 
biten the times I have grabbed one) and they can sting if you grab them 
in your hand, provided you don't grab males which can't sting.
They are also territorial and try to chase other carpenter bees (or 
people away).  Check out the note for more info.

***************************************************************
Steve Bambara  Dept. of Entomology, Box 7626, Raleigh, NC 27695
[email-masked]    (919) 515-1661    fax (919) 515-7273

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From: [email-masked] (Pollinator)
Date: 18 Mar 1996 07:49:29 -0500

Barry:

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From: Steve Bambara <[email-masked]>
Date: 18 Mar 1996 13:08:44 GMT

Take a look at