I’ve got a large black and yellow bee hanging around my front door. Thing is it doesn’t really go anywhere. It just kind of hangs there flying and then randomly seems to be chasing something from time to time but keeps coming back. When my Wife goes out it attacks her but doesn’t seem to sting. What is this bee doing?
You’ve got a carpenter bee or two which become very active in the spring. These bees are quite large and resemble a bumble bee. The males commonly do what you’re describing and though they’ll fly at you when you move close, they can’t sting since they don’t have a stinger! Females do have stingers so stay away from any that are in the flowers or in a nest. Carpenter bee nests will be found in wood, usually on the bottom side (the side facing the ground) and their holes will bore for several feet into wood if left untreated. Since they can cause a lot of damage, it’s best to kill off nesting ones now using the DRIONE and spray with some CYPERMETHRIN to stop new ones from creating a nest. More information about this process can be found on line in our carpenter bee control article.
Drione: https://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust
Crusader Duster: www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/crusader
Cypermethrin: www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin
Give us a call if you still have questions.
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gilbetogarcia says
i would like to know if the black bees that look like the yellow bees are poisonous.
they look alike but seem to be larger than the yellow jacket. i found them nesting inside my home walls and that makes me a concern. if you would help me with this isue i would appreicated it. thank you gil
admin says
@gilbetogarcia: It’s not really possible for us to say if this bee you are seeing is poisonous. Most bees can sting but many don’t commonly try. Additionally, there is a wide range of toxins that bees have and some of these just don’t affect people much. That being said, you should avoid it and in most cases remove or destroy any nest in or on the home if there are people or pets close by. Bees and people just don’t mix well so make sure any children or pets avoid the area for sure if it’s left untreated.
If you are able to send us a decent photo, we might be able to identify it for you. And call us toll free at 1-800-877-7290 if you have any other questions or concerns.
Candy says
I have a huge type bee buzzing around on my back porch. It is about 2 inches long and has a bright yellow fuzzy back half. What is it? It looks really scary.
admin says
@Candy: No doubt it’s a Carpenter Bee. Learn what they do and why they can be a destructive pest in this article:
Carpenter Bee Control: www.carpenterbees.com/carpenter-bee-control
The above article also explains several control options so you can get rid them.
sue says
Large yellow and black bees that go into the ground. To nest or not, I don’t know.
What kind are they?
admin says
@sue: Most likely Bumble Bees but they could be Carpenter Bees. I’ve seen where Carpenter Bees will find submerged logs and then make nets below the grade so they seemingly are living in the dirt. In fact they could be living in wood that’s buried.
That being said, it’s more likely you’re seeing Bumble Bees as they typically live right at the grounds surface. Read more on them here:
www.bugspray.com/articles99/bumblebees.html
bernice says
I noticed a few bumble bees? in my basement, they were not flying just crawling slowly or dead and I supected that it was too cold down there for them. Then in the next few days there were more. I counted about 45 so far. I did find where they were coming from and it was from an opening that my husband had the builders make in the brick structure to make an entrance for a coal shute 25 years ago. We never used the opening and plugged it. Today I see where the insulation has fallen away from the opening and there is a tremendous amount of black stain? coating? on it. Then when I moved a large bunch of the insulation there was alot of bee/insect noise. Would you surmise that this is wood boring bees? Thanks for your help.
admin says
@bernice: Based on the numbers you’ve encountered, it sounds like it’s either bumble bees or mason bees. Both are likely to inhabit coal chute (at least I’ve encountered them in this void over the years many times). Add to the void some “insulation” or other type of material that would inadvertently create a gap or void as well as warmth and you’ve got a great nest site for either species.
Carpenter bees are more likely to enter the home is small numbers – single digits at most – and it would take a lot of nests for you to have 45+ get inside the home. Regardless, the treatment should be fairly easy.
If the area is dry, go with the Drione Dust mentioned above and dust the entire area. One treatment will last years if it remains dry. But if you sense the space to be damp, go with the Deltamethrin Dust featured in our Bumble Bee Control Article. It’s more suited for damp areas and will handle all species too; the only draw back is that it won’t last but 3-6 months so you may need to treat seasonally to insure new bees don’t start a nest from year to year.
Here are direct links to the products and articles mentioned:
Drione: www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust
Deltamethrin Dust: www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/deltamethrin-dust
Bumble Bee Control: www.bugspray.com/articles99/bumblebees.html
Carpenter Bee Control: www.carpenterbees.com/carpenter-bee-control
Zig says
I have seen the shiny black bumble bee looking for a few years around here in Modesto Ca. for twenty years. They are about the size of a quarter and make a lot of noise because of the wing speed they need to keep aloft. I even ran into one on the highway on my motorcycle, he hit me right above the eyebrow, and although beside the impact, it didn’t hurt . When I got home, at least half of my face was horribly swollen and my eye was closed shut.
This year I noticed a golden bee of the same size, the only difference id the black bee seemed to have no hair or fuzz, where as the golden one was very fuzzy looking, not sure if it is the natural color or maybe covered with pollen.
dbwindham says
Some kind of black and yellow, hovering bee is making a nerve-wracking buzz – like something electronic…Can’t find anything in my book on American Wildlife…Do you know that it is? Thanks…
admin says
Most likely a carpenter bee. They’re quite active right now, make a lot of noise and with many species found throughout the United States, generally they’re hard to find in a book.
Carpenter Bee Control: www.carpenterbees.com