Current:Home > MyCarpenter bees sting, but here’s why you’ll want them to keep buzzing around your garden -TradeBridge
Carpenter bees sting, but here’s why you’ll want them to keep buzzing around your garden
View
Date:2025-04-16 21:31:42
Carpenter bees are known to drill into wooden structures that may exist around your home, such as a wood deck or the siding of your house. However, carpenter bees are incredible pollinators, and if you see them flying near your house or around your back garden, don’t be intimidated.
These bees get a bad rap for being aggressive, and while they can occasionally act defensively, carpenter bees’ first instincts aren’t to sting you. More often than not, these bees are completely harmless to people.
Carpenter bees don’t sting very often, but if you do happen to get stung, we’ve got you covered with everything you need to know.
Do carpenter bees sting?
Yes, female carpenter bees do have the ability to sting you, say Brannen Basham and Jill Jacobs, the co-owners of Spriggly’s Beescaping, a nature education and habitat restoration business in Waynesville, North Carolina.
However, female carpenter bees “are incredibly docile. They much prefer to run away than put up any kind of fight,” Basham says. “They most likely will only sting you if they [are] squeezed or stepped on.”
The carpenter bees that people “come into contact with the most are actually male carpenter bees,” and you can identify them from the bright yellow dot on their forehead, Jacobs says. When male carpenter bees go on the defensive, they often fly very close to your face and “stare” at you, she explains. Naturally, you might take this as an act of aggression. However, male carpenter bees cannot sting you. “They're all bark, no bite,” Jacobs adds.
Is a carpenter bee sting painful?
Upon being stung by a carpenter bee, you’ll feel an immediate and intense pain around the site of the sting, says Dr. Ethan Melillo, PharmD, CDOE. During a mild reaction, a swollen, red bump will emerge, and you may experience some itchiness.
Comparatively speaking, the sting of a carpenter bee will likely be a bit more painful than getting stung by a honeybee. However, it will feel just as painful as getting stung by a wasp, Melillo says.
Carpenter bees typically do not leave their stinger behind. So, while there is a small possibility of getting stung multiple times, unlike wasps, when carpenter bees do sting, it’s usually “a one time thing,” Melillo says.
If you begin to experience any symptoms of anaphylaxis, including hives and the swelling of the face, throat or lips, call 911 to seek immediate medical attention, he says.
How to treat a carpenter bee sting
Before treating your sting, always make sure to clean it off with soap and water. If you see a stinger, you can try to gently remove it with a credit card, Melillo says. Then, to reduce swelling, try applying a cold compress to your sting, he recommends. At home, a cold compress can be as simple as a bag of ice that’s wrapped around a towel, he says.
If your symptoms persist, there are over-the-counter medications available, such as Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Benadryl). Topical antihistamine creams can also help quell the redness and swelling caused by your sting, per Healthline.
After about a week, your carpenter bee sting should be completely healed, Melillo says.
Why killing carpenter bees is bad
Carpenter bees have incredible pollination abilities, and for this reason, carpenter bees should be a welcomed friend in your garden, Jacobs says. These bees are “also a key source of food for birds, especially in the early part of the season,” she adds.
“Carpenter bees are premier ‘buzz pollinators,’” and they are particularly good at pollinating plants with inverted flowers, such as tomatoes, blueberries, cranberries and eggplants, says Basham.
In addition to the possibility of being stung, you might be concerned that when carpenter bees set up shop around your home, they may cause significant damage to an outdoor deck or the wooden siding of a house. However, this isn’t exactly true, because what people don’t often realize is that the damage carpenter bees have the potential to cause is largely cosmetic, Basham says.
Regardless, we understand that seeing a large carpenter beehive in or in the vicinity of your home is less than ideal. Carpenter bees are very resilient and can be difficult to rehouse, Basham explains.
However, you should not take matters into your own hands by spraying the beehive with chemicals. “It's a fool's errand, because they might even just be able to move right back into that wood anyway,” Jacobs says.
How do bees make honey?A scientist breaks down this intricate process.
Because it is difficult to eradicate these bees from your home in the traditional sense, Jacobs and Basham recommend constructing a nearby “habitat” of wood to encourage the carpenter bees to migrate away from your home. From their experience, using a mix of 2x4s and aromatic, coniferous wood should do the trick.
If you're hesitant to take matters into your own hands, call a professional bee removal service that can help responsibly relocate the bees.
veryGood! (5)
Related
- A Mississippi company is sentenced for mislabeling cheap seafood as premium local fish
- VP candidates Walz and Vance manage their money very differently. Advisers weigh in.
- Developers of stalled Minnesota copper-nickel mine plan studies that may lead to significant changes
- Agents seize nearly 3,000 pounds of meth hidden in celery at Georgia farmers market
- House passes bill to add 66 new federal judgeships, but prospects murky after Biden veto threat
- Affordable 2025 Kia K4 Sedan Coming Soon; Hatch to Follow
- Snickers maker Mars to buy Kellanova, company known for Pringles, Eggos, in $36B deal
- Olympian Stephen Nedoroscik Reveals How Teammates Encouraged Him Before Routine
- Rams vs. 49ers highlights: LA wins rainy defensive struggle in key divisional game
- Ohio officer indicted in 2023 shooting death of pregnant woman near Columbus: What we know
Ranking
- Man can't find second winning lottery ticket, sues over $394 million jackpot, lawsuit says
- Mayor of Columbus, Ohio, says ransomware attackers stole corrupted, unusable data
- Hidden report reveals how workers got sick while cleaning up Ohio derailment site
- Shop Lululemon Under $50 Finds, Including $39 Align Leggings, $29 Belt Bag & More Must-Have Styles
- Skins Game to make return to Thanksgiving week with a modern look
- UCLA can’t allow protesters to block Jewish students from campus, judge rules
- Michael Bolton says 'all is good' after fan spots police cars at singer's Connecticut home
- Agents seize nearly 3,000 pounds of meth hidden in celery at Georgia farmers market
Recommendation
Paige Bueckers vs. Hannah Hidalgo highlights women's basketball games to watch
Machine Gun Kelly Shares His Dad Stood Trial at Age 9 for His Own Father's Murder
Mega Millions winning numbers for August 13 drawing: Jackpot climbs to $435 million
Texas Likely Undercounting Heat-Related Deaths
Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
10 college football freshmen ready to make an instant impact this season
Snickers maker Mars to buy Kellanova, company known for Pringles, Eggos, in $36B deal
Kylie Jenner Details Postpartum Depression Journey After Welcoming Her 2 Kids