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Quiet Em

(3,014 posts)
Mon May 18, 2026, 03:54 PM Yesterday

There is a carpenter bee who has been surveilling me like a drone all day

Everytime I step out on my deck, there he is, hovering, darting towards me, and behaving like an ass.

I know he can't sting or hurt me but he's getting on my damn nerves.

17 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Intractable

(2,390 posts)
2. He's guarding his nest, which is likely in a hole in the wood of your deck. He'll be gone in a few weeks.
Mon May 18, 2026, 04:09 PM
Yesterday

The guarding males don't sting. They ram.

JoseBalow

(9,739 posts)
4. It'd be nice if there was a way to evict them without killing them
Mon May 18, 2026, 04:23 PM
Yesterday

I'm getting soft in my old age.

Harker

(18,155 posts)
13. Have you tried telling them to buzz off?
Mon May 18, 2026, 05:22 PM
Yesterday

I keep a little net in the house to help those who need a little help. 🐝

Keepthesoulalive

(2,414 posts)
5. When these guys are finished I may not have a house
Mon May 18, 2026, 04:28 PM
Yesterday

But they are bad ass pollinators and they keep other stinging insects away. I have learned to appreciate them. They are welcome to make holes in my deck but they didn’t seem to be interested in anything but the citrus.

Ziggysmom

(4,157 posts)
6. Make them a home and they will leave yours alone. The males can't sting and females
Mon May 18, 2026, 04:35 PM
Yesterday

rarely do unless grabbed or restrained. They pollinate plants other bees cannot, using their high frequency buzz. Native pollinators should be promoted and not killed. Like bats, they get an unearned bad rap.

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Quiet Em

(3,014 posts)
7. Good advice
Mon May 18, 2026, 04:47 PM
Yesterday

Although I can't imagine anyone attempting to grab one. They're pretty intimidating, at least to me, lol

doc03

(39,179 posts)
15. They can cause a lot of damage, I saw a trap for them at Lowes. They can drill a perfect 3/8 "
Mon May 18, 2026, 05:38 PM
Yesterday

hole, when I moved here there were dozens of holes in both of my porch ceilings, I put vinyl sofit up, that solved the problem.

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