North Carolina is home to plenty of buzzing insects, including carpenter bees, bumble bees, yellowjackets, paper wasps, and hornets. While many bees and wasps play an important role as pollinators, they can become a concern when they begin nesting around your home, deck, porch, or other frequently used outdoor spaces.
Keep an Eye Out for Carpenter Bees
Carpenter bees are one of the most common buzzing visitors homeowners may notice around wooden structures. They resemble bumble bees but typically have a smooth, shiny abdomen rather than a fuzzy one.
Unlike termites, carpenter bees do not eat wood. Instead, females tunnel into wood to create nesting galleries. They often target exposed or weathered wood around decks, railings, eaves, fascia boards, pergolas, and outdoor furniture.
Signs of carpenter bee activity can include perfectly round holes in wood, sawdust beneath the opening, and bees repeatedly hovering around wooden areas. Because carpenter bees may return to the same areas year after year and expand their tunnels, repeated activity can eventually cause more significant damage.
What About Wasps and Yellowjackets?
Wasps can be a little less welcoming. Yellowjackets are particularly territorial and may aggressively defend their nests if someone gets too close. Paper wasps and European hornets are also commonly found throughout North Carolina. Nests may appear around roof eaves, shrubs, trees, structures, and even underground.
If you notice increased activity around one area of your property, avoid disturbing the nest and leave identification and treatment to a trained pest professional.
Let Clegg’s Handle the Buzz
Whether you’re dealing with carpenter bees boring into your deck or wasps setting up too close for comfort, proper identification is the first step.
With more than 60 years of pest control experience, Clegg’s Pest Control can inspect your property, identify the stinging insect causing the problem, and recommend the appropriate solution.
Seeing a little too much buzzing around your home? Contact Clegg’s Pest Control today to schedule a free inspection.