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Almost everyone in the eastern US will recognize this bee, known for drilling its nests into porches and eaves. Eastern carpenter bees are so common in cities that they have rarely been studied in “nature.” What is it about cities that favors this species, how has urban living changed its biology and ecology, and how can it be managed while minimizing risk to the environment and other species?
Current projects include the Bee Bench project and an ongoing survey of carpenter bee management practices in the Southeast.
Bee benches
UPDATE: All benches have been distributed for spring 2019! We’re still happy to hear from you if you’d like to be notified of future opportunities to be involved in related research!
We are conducting an experiment to identify whether carpenter bees prefer or avoid certain kinds of wood, as well as the rate at which they cause structural damage. The goal is to provide better advice to homeowners about bee-resistant construction materials and the costs and benefits of their use. We need your help!
Carpenter bee survey
For all the angst carpenter bees cause to homeowners and property managers, there is little documentation of how much damage they do, how much it costs, and how much (and which kinds) of insecticide are deployed against these insects. We are conducting a survey of people living in the Southeast to document current experiences and practices surrounding carpenter bees.