Carpenter Bees Carpenter Bees, Xylocopa sp.
Carpenter bees cause damage to wooden structures by boring into timbers and siding to prepare nests.
Carpenter bee nests weaken structural wood and leave unsightly holes and stains on building surfaces. They avoid most harder woods. Carpenter bees are generally considered beneficial insects because they help pollinate various crop and noncrop plants. Over a period of time, tunnels may extend as far as 10 feet into wood timbers. Tunnels are vacated after the brood's larval and pupal stages complete their development.