Carpenter Bee

The adult body length is approx. 12-25 mm. Carpenter bees resemble bumble bees, but the upper surface of their abdomen is bare and shiny black. They get their name from their habit of boring into wood to make galleries. 

Carpenter bees are not social insects and do not live in nests or colonies. Female carpenter bees bore into sound wood or sometimes into decaying wood to make nests usually consist of tunnels that are partitioned into several chambers, each containing an egg and a supply of food. Development from egg to adult takes about 3 months. 

They cause damage to wooden by boring into timbers to prepare nests. The nests weaken structural wood and leave unsightly holes and stains on building surfaces. Males are territorial and can become aggressive when approached by hovering a short distance in front of the face or buzzing around the head. The male has no stinger.