June brings two wood-related pest threats that homeowners in Sussex County and Morris County should be watching for. Carpenter bees are at the height of their nesting season, drilling into the exterior wood of your home. And if you saw swarms of winged insects around your foundation or inside your basement this spring, those may have been termite swarmers — a signal that a colony is established nearby and has been feeding for some time. Both deserve attention now.
Carpenter Bees: The Damage Compounds Year After Year
Carpenter bees (Xylocopa virginica) are large, fuzzy black bees often mistaken for bumblebees at a distance. The identifying feature: their abdomen is shiny and hairless, while a bumblebee is fully fuzzy. Females bore perfectly round, quarter-inch holes into unpainted or unfinished wood to create nesting galleries. Their preferred targets include:
- Fascia boards and soffits
- Deck railings and joists
- Wooden siding and trim
- Eaves, porch ceilings, and pergola beams
- Window and door frames
A single season’s damage may look minor — just a clean round hole. The problem is compounding. Carpenter bees return to the same wood each year and extend their galleries deeper with each season. Multiple generations use the same boards. Over several years, tunneling can weaken structural wood significantly. Woodpeckers discover the galleries and tear up the surface wood to reach the larvae inside, turning a few holes into long gouges.
Male carpenter bees hover aggressively and will fly at your face, but they have no stinger. Females can sting but rarely do. The threat is to your home, not directly to you.
Treating Carpenter Bees
Effective treatment targets the gallery entrances with insecticide dust applied directly into the tunnels, killing the occupants and preventing reuse. Timing matters — treating in June while nesting activity is still in progress is more effective than treating in fall. Afterward, holes should be plugged and wood painted or stained, since carpenter bees strongly prefer bare, unfinished surfaces. Bustabug can treat active carpenter bee sites and advise on preventative measures to reduce future activity.
Termites: If You Saw Swarmers, Act Now
Subterranean termites — the species responsible for the vast majority of termite damage in New Jersey — produce winged swarmers (alates) once a colony reaches maturity, typically in spring. In NJ, swarm season runs from April through June, usually triggered by warm, humid days following rain. A swarm is the colony’s reproductive event: winged males and females emerge, mate, and attempt to establish new colonies.
The swarmers themselves don’t cause damage — they’re not the workers feeding on your home. But seeing them is one of the most important warning signs in pest control, because it means an established colony is nearby. Subterranean termite colonies typically take three to five years to produce swarmers, which means if you saw a swarm this spring, the feeding colony has been present for years.
Termites vs. Flying Ants — How to Tell
Termite swarmers are frequently mistaken for flying ants. The key differences:
- Wings: Termite swarmers have two pairs of equal-length wings. Flying ants have two pairs of unequal wings (front wings larger).
- Waist: Termites have a broad, straight waist. Ants have a distinct pinched, narrow waist.
- Antennae: Termite antennae are straight. Ant antennae are bent or elbowed.
If you’re not sure what you saw, save a specimen in a sealed bag and have Bustabug identify it. Getting the ID right determines the treatment approach.
What to Do If You Saw a Swarm
Don’t wait. Schedule a professional termite inspection as soon as possible. Termite damage is not covered by standard homeowner’s insurance, and the longer a colony feeds, the more extensive — and expensive — the structural damage becomes. Bustabug performs thorough termite inspections across Sussex County and Morris County and can recommend treatment options appropriate for your home and situation.
Dealing with a pest problem in Sussex or Morris County this June? Call Bustabug Pest Control at (973) 721-9197 for a free in-person consultation. We’ve got your six.