Identification Carpenter bees are small, thin, and metallic blue-black. Scouting Rose is one of the favored plants of small carpenter bees for nesting. The carpenter bees tunnel in canes to provide a series of rearing cavities for their grublike young. These bees usually tunnel in dead canes. When they tunnel into live parts of the cane those parts die.
Damage is generally minimal.
Control Prune out dead canes to reduce the likelihood of attracting carpenter bees. Chemical control is not recommended.