Larvae will develop into adult bees while underground, waiting until the next year’s mating season to dig their way out.ĭuring mating season, each female will dig a burrow. The female bees also serve as worker bees, building the burrows and collecting food for the larvae. Because they are solitary bees, there is no queen bee. Mating season is March to May, with most species emerging from their underground burrows in March and early April. People typically notice the males buzzing in large groups during mating season in the spring, or by seeing large numbers of small holes grouped near each other in patches of open ground. They all belong to the same order, Hymenoptera, but are in different families. They can be black and yellow, blue, purple, red or green and are often metallic-looking. They are typically one-half of an inch long or smaller, though some may be up to three-fourths of an inch long. Most species of ground bee are similar in size. Multiple bee species are referred to as ground bees, including alkali bees, bumble bees, leafcutter bees, mining or digger bees and sweat bees. While they often burrow near each other, only one female bee digs each burrow. Instead of building one shared hive, ground bees burrow in the ground, or appropriate the abandoned holes of rodents and other small mammals. However, they are more solitary and prefer a semi-social environment. Like their aboveground counterparts, ground bees gather pollen and nectar. However, there are several bee species commonly referred to as ground bees, which make their home in the ground. Are you worried you may be dealing with carpenter bees in your property? Contact us for more information on our bees and beehive removal and preventive pest control services in Houston, today.When most people think bees, they think of aboveground hives or perhaps swarms of bees hanging in trees. Black Carpenter Bees Pest Control in HoustonĮnviroCon provides pest removal as well as preventive pest control services in Houston for all carpenter bees. They typically become inactive during winter months. Males may continue to be obvious throughout the summer due to their tendency to chase flying insects, animals, and people away from their nests, but otherwise their behavior is mostly limited to pollination. April and May are particularly noticeable times, as that is when new adult bees move out of their brood cells and begin to establish their own nests. Younger bees prefer to move into existing nests to save themselves the work of excavating new tunnels, but the older bees’ long lifespan often prevents that.īlack carpenter bees tend to be most active during the spring and summer months. Unlike more social bees, such as the bumblebee, black carpenter bees have fairly small broods. When Are Black Carpenter Bees Active?Ĭarpenter bees have fairly long lives, often living around three years. This includes most of Texas, including Houston and the surrounding areas. A single black carpenter bee’s nest can be six to ten inches long, so they often cause expensive cosmetic damage to decks, wooden siding, and more.īlack carpenter bees have a wide range, but they are particularly prevalent in southern and southwestern states. They like to dig tunnels in wood, particularly weathered and exposed wood. Where Do Black Carpenter Bees Live?Ĭarpenter bees get their name from their preferred nesting area. This leads to growing infestations as more generations build nests in the same area. Females often live in small groups, and carpenter bees also tend to like to nest near others. However, this does not mean that they live totally alone. Like bumblebees, carpenter bees help pollinate plants, particularly flowers and vegetables.Ĭarpenter bees are considered solitary bees, which means they tend to live in small nests without a strict social structure or division of labor. They also have a bare and shiny abdomen instead of a fuzzy one. They look fairly similar to bumblebees and are often mistaken for them, but black carpenter bees are almost entirely black. What Are Black Carpenter Bees?īlack carpenter bees are one of the largest species of bees in the United States, and are often found within the Greater Houston area. One species of bee, the carpenter bee, may be causing significant damage to your home before you even notice a problem. When you think of pests that live in wood, you probably think of termites, but there are many others.
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