Once the long winter has ended, carpenter bees begin to wake up from their hibernation and start to emerge from their tunnels. Now that the weather is warming up, they have only a few simple things on their mind; finding food and water, finding a mate (if they don’t have one already), and then reproducing. With this goal in mind, undoubtedly this will lead to a big increase in carpenter bee eggs and baby carpenter bees. In this article we’ll be covering everything there is to know about carpenter bee eggs, and baby carpenter bees. Including identification and treatment options!
Do Carpenter Bees Mate?
Yes carpenter bees mate! Just like most other animals, carpenter bees mate so that they can reproduce. Every different species of carpenter bee is slightly different in terms of mating rituals, they all try to find a mate to reproduce with! We’ve created an entire guide on carpenter bees mating habits!
How Many Eggs Do Carpenter Bees Lay At A Time?
A female carpenter bee generally will lay between 6 – 8 eggs at a time! These eggs are safely deposited in locked tunnels in their nest which is filled with pollen and nectar for when the eggs hatch. Once the babies have hatched from their eggs, they will have the necessary resources in their tunnel for them to gain strength and emerge from their tunnels.
Carpenter bees generally are a bit different than other animals in that a lot of the time they are one-generational insects. Although our guide on how long does a carpenter bee live will tell you that carpenter bees can live up to 3 years, many times they don’t survive the winter. This means that a lot of the times the female carpenter bee will lay eggs and by the time the baby carpenter bees are fully grown, the mother has died.
Carpenter Bee Life Cycle:
Once these baby carpenter bees have broken free from their eggs, and emerged from their tunnels, they will begin to feed and build strength from the pollen and nectar their mother has left for them.
Generally it only takes carpenter bees about 3 months to go from egg to a fully grown adult that will leave the nest in search for its own nest and mate.
About three days after being born, the carpenter bee babies are able to start flying, but it’s not uncommon for them to spend a few more weeks inside the nest to build up strength and for protection.
But after being born in Spring, these juvenile carpenter bees will be full grown adults by Summer and they’ll immediately get to work looking for a nest of their own to survive the upcoming Winter! These new adult carpenter bees will then hibernate through the Winter in their new nests, and then they’ll be looking to reproduce the following Spring and the cycle repeats itself!
What Do Carpenter Bee Eggs Look Like?
You’re generally unlikely to see carpenter bee eggs because they are laid inside the tunnels of the carpenter bee nest. That being said, carpenter bee eggs generally look like a long, slightly curved grain of rice.
These eggs are actually rather large for insects, with a slightly opaque color to them.
How Big Are Carpenter Bee Eggs?
Professor Salvatore Vicidomini did an in-depth study of carpenter bees and their nesting habits, and in this study he gathered the average size of many different carpenter bee species eggs. I’ve taken this data and put it in table form to be easier to read:
| Carpenter Bee Species: | Length In MM | Diameter In MM |
| Xylocopa Virginica (Eastern Carpenter Bee) – Common in USA | 14 | 2.5 |
| Xylocopa Auripennis (Southeast Asian Carpenter Bee) | 16.5 | 3 |
| Xylocopa Bombylans (Peacock Carpenter Bee) | 9 | 1.5 |
| Xylocopa Appendiculata (Japanese Carpenter Bee) | 12.5 | 2.5 |
| Xylocopa Flavorufa (South African Carpenter Bee) | 13 | 2.5 |
As I mentioned, probably won’t see carpenter bee eggs, unless they somehow fall out of the nest, but they can be rather large for insects.
Prevention of Carpenter Bee Eggs and Treatment Options:
Treating for carpenter bees in general can be extremely difficult because they generally live deep inside wood, whether it’s a tree or in the wood in your porch, and this is equally the same for carpenter bee eggs. The most effective way to get rid of carpenter bees and their eggs is to prevent them in the first place, and this goes for carpenter bee eggs as well. We have an entire guide on how to get rid of carpenter bees outside, but it here are the few simplified steps.
First of, you need to plug existing carpenter bee tunnel holes. Carpenter bees generally will try to reuse existing tunnels rather than having to dig their own every year. We have a guide on how to plug carpenter bee holes, it’s generally pretty simple. But by plugging these holes, more times than not, carpenter bees will leave the area in search of an easier place to make a nest.
After you’ve plugged the holes, you’ll want to focus on additional prevention and protection methods. The number one way to do this is with carpenter bee traps. You can either purchase your own carpenter bee traps or you can read our guide on how to build your own carpenter bee traps! Carpenter bee traps will mimic the natural look of their nests and tunnels with a predrilled entrance, so that the carpenter bees enter the trap but are then trapped inside of a container. This essentially lures them to the trap rather than them damaging your home.
Here are some other carpenter bee prevention options!
Final Thoughts On Carpenter Bee Eggs
Overall you probably won’t see many carpenter bee eggs because they are located deep in the tunnels and nests for protection. That being said, obviously carpenter bees in and around your home means you currently have carpenter bees, and you’re going to have more soon, so acting quick is important!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this guide on carpenter bee eggs as well as our tips for prevention and protection!
Resources:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/11250009609356139
