I think these are carpenter bees. They have taken up residence in an abandoned bluebird house.

Cool, Just leave um bee and let um grow.

Oh, they will be fine there; I enjoy watching them. In previous years they tunneled into my the underside of my potting bench. I replaced the boards this year and I am glad they have taken up residence elsewhere. For some reason the bluebirds never liked this house, it is from Wild Birds Unlimited too.

That's so cool you like nature and don't just spray anything and everything. i know people who do that and its a shame. i love bees.


i hope more nests happen next year have you thought of putting up bee nest boxes.

I do admit to judiciously spraying weeds but most bugs are safe in my yard.

I think the nest boxes are unnecessary here. We have always had huge numbers of carpenter bees here. They must normally nest in the trees maybe? The landscape is jungle like down here with lots of opportunities for bee habitat. I am not fond of hornets or the yellow jackets that live in the ground but all others are welcomed.

In the late late fall when frost hits could you collect the empty nests i'm using nests for a project at the science musium you get points for them.. thanks Alex

Sorry they are gone.

They turned out to be bumble bees and a local beekeeper relocated them to a farm for pollination purposes.

the chewed area around the hole in your birdhouse is most likely from squirrels. They chew the holes bigger in mine.

Thankfully squirrels can't get up the pole. It is just woodpeckers in this case, they get all our bluebird houses but generally it doesn't stop the bluebirds from nesting.

Okay well it was worth a shot.