Carpenter Bee
Large, robust bees that bore neat circular tunnels into dry, untreated wood to build their nests. Important pollinators, especially for open-faced and tubular flowers.
Why you want them
Carpenter bees are capable of buzz pollination like bumblebees, making them valuable for tomatoes and other solanums. They visit a wide range of flowering plants and are particularly effective on larger open flowers. Although their wood-boring habit occasionally draws attention, they prefer weathered, untreated wood and pose no structural threat. Leaving dry, untreated timber in the garden is one of the easiest ways to support them.
How to attract them
- Wisteria
- Foxglove
- Lavender
- Salvia
- Hollyhock
- Borage
- Clover
Preferred habitat
Dry, untreated timber - old fence posts, dead tree limbs, log piles, and structural timbers. They excavate clean circular holes about 1/2 inch in diameter.
What harms them
Pressure-treated and painted timber, removal of dead wood from the garden, and pesticide use.
Things to know
Carpenter bees are solitary and non-aggressive. Males may hover near the nest entrance but have no sting. Females rarely sting unless handled roughly.
Garden, by Willowbottom works with nature, not against it. Support your garden allies and they will do most of the hard work for you.