Bees are essential pollinators, but when they build nests in or near a home they become a problem. Unlike wasps, most bee species are not aggressive — the challenge is removing them safely and, where possible, relocating them rather than killing them. This hub covers honeybees, bumblebees, carpenter bees, and mason bees, with guides on safe removal, damage prevention, and knowing when a swarm is actually harmless.
Bee Species Around Homes
There is a lot of confusion about which stinging insects are bees and which are wasps. Yellow jackets and hornets, for example, are wasps and belong on the wasp control page. The species covered here are true bees — pollinators that feed on nectar and pollen and generally sting only in self-defence.
Honeybees
Honeybees are the familiar brown-and-black social bees that live in large colonies with a single queen. Wild honeybee colonies nest in tree cavities, wall voids, attics, and other sheltered spaces. They are not aggressive away from the hive but will defend it if threatened. Honeybee swarms — the temporary clusters that appear on tree branches in spring — are not defensive at all and usually leave within a few days. Our guide on what to do about a honeybee swarm on your property explains the safest response. If bees have already moved inside a wall, bee removal options for bees in the wall covers what to expect.
Bumblebees
Bumblebees are large, fuzzy, and black-and-yellow. They nest in the ground, often in old rodent burrows, under decks, or in dense grass. Their colonies are annual and much smaller than honeybee colonies — usually a few hundred bees at peak. Bumblebees are docile away from the nest and important pollinators of tomatoes, peppers, and other crops. Bumblebee nest relocation is often possible and preferable to extermination.
Carpenter Bees
Carpenter bees look like large bumblebees but have a shiny black abdomen rather than a fuzzy one. They are solitary, meaning each female drills her own nest — a perfectly round half-inch hole in wood, usually in fascia, decks, siding, or unpainted lumber. The holes and the tunnels behind them cause cumulative structural damage over several years, and woodpeckers often enlarge the holes while hunting larvae. If you are not sure which one you have, carpenter bee vs bumblebee covers the visual differences. See our guide on carpenter bee damage, repair, and prevention for the treatment approach, and the best carpenter bee traps for the monitoring side.
Mason Bees
Mason bees are small, solitary, and highly beneficial. They nest in existing cavities — hollow stems, nail holes, or bee hotels — and do not damage wood or sting people. No control is ever needed.
Why Bees Are Different From Wasps
Bees are pollinators. They are far more valuable alive than dead, and many species are in decline. Because of this, treatment choices should be different from wasp control. Killing a honeybee colony should be a last resort — relocation to a managed hive is almost always better and is often no more expensive. For bumblebees and solitary bees, relocation or exclusion is usually possible without insecticides.
What to Do About a Honeybee Swarm
A swarm is a honeybee colony in transit. The bees leave a hive, cluster temporarily on a branch or fence, and send scouts to find a permanent home. Swarming bees are not defensive — they have no hive to protect and are full of honey — and they usually leave within 24–72 hours on their own. Do not spray them. Call a local beekeeper or bee removal service and they will usually collect the swarm for free.
Honeybees in Walls
Honeybees inside a wall void or attic are a more serious problem than a swarm. If left in place, the colony builds comb, stores honey, and continues to grow. When the bees eventually leave or are killed, the comb stays behind, and it will ferment, attract other pests, and stain the interior wall. Killing the bees without removing the comb creates a bigger problem later. The correct sequence is: remove the bees alive if possible, then remove all the comb, then seal the wall and the exterior entry point.
Carpenter Bees
Carpenter bee damage is cumulative. Each new generation reuses and expands the tunnels, and over several years the structural wood can weaken significantly. Treatment involves treating the holes with an insecticidal dust (not a liquid spray, which the bees can avoid), plugging the holes, and painting or varnishing the wood. Sealing existing holes without treating them traps the bees inside and they will simply drill out — treat first, then seal. If you would rather avoid insecticides entirely, how to get rid of carpenter bees without killing them covers the non-lethal options. And if you are wondering whether they sting, do carpenter bees bite has the answer.
Prevention
Preventing bee nesting is mostly about exclusion and reducing attractive sites. Seal cracks in siding, fascia, and soffits. Cap chimneys. Screen attic and soffit vents. Paint or varnish exposed softwood to deter carpenter bees. For ground-nesting bumblebees, keeping grass mowed short and removing brush piles reduces nesting sites. Do not spray flowering plants near the house — bees are drawn to them and spraying harms pollinators.
When to Call a Professional
Call a professional for honeybees inside a wall or attic, for any large colony in a high-traffic area, for a carpenter bee infestation that has damaged structural wood, or for any situation where relocation is preferred over treatment. For a honeybee swarm, call a beekeeper — most will collect swarms at no charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are carpenter bees dangerous?
Carpenter bees can sting but rarely do — only females can sting, and only in defence. The bigger issue is structural damage from their tunnels and the woodpeckers that pursue them.
Will a bee swarm attack me?
No. Swarming bees have no hive to defend and are not aggressive. Keep a respectful distance and they will move on within a few days.
What is the difference between a bumblebee and a carpenter bee?
Bumblebees are fully fuzzy, including the abdomen. Carpenter bees have a shiny black abdomen and a fuzzy upper body. Carpenter bees nest in wood; bumblebees nest in the ground or in sheltered cavities.
Last reviewed: November 2026.