Spot Carpenter Bee Damage & Remove Them Before Disaster

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Signs of Carpenter Bee Damage: How to Identify & Humanly Remove Them

Imagine stepping outside on a sunny Oakland afternoon and hearing that low, persistent buzz coming from your roof.

You glance up—and there it is. A chunky bee hovering around your wood eaves. Then another.

Then you notice a couple of small, perfectly round holes right under the overhang.

Your first thought? Termites.

But what if it’s not?

What if it’s carpenter bees, and they’re slowly turning your cozy home into Swiss cheese?

You’re not alone.

At Bees Evictions, we’ve spent the last 26 years helping Oakland families identify and fix carpenter bee problems before they snowball into costly repairs.

Let’s walk you through the signs, what they mean, and how we can remove them without harming them—because yes, there’s a better way.

What Are Carpenter Bees and Why Do They Love Your Roof?

Carpenter bees are solitary bees that look a lot like bumblebees, but with one big difference: they don’t live in hives.

Instead, they drill into soft, untreated wood to create cozy little nesting galleries for their young.

Your roof fascia, wood siding, and eaves? That’s prime real estate to them.

And no—they don’t actually eat the wood. They just carve tunnels in it. But left unchecked, a few bees can lead to years of deep structural damage.

Common Signs of Carpenter Bee Damage

If you’ve said something like, “There are carpenter bee holes in the wood eaves under my roof,” you’re probably already past the early warning signs. Here’s what to look for:

✅ 1. Perfectly Round Holes in Wood

These holes are about the size of a pinky—1/4 to 1/2 inch—and usually appear on:

Roof fascia boards
Under eaves
Around wooden railings, fences, and decks

If it looks like someone drilled a hole with a tiny power tool—ding ding!—that’s a carpenter bee.

✅ 2. Buzzing Around the Roof Fascia

See one or two bees hovering near the eaves? They’re likely scouting—or defending—their nest.

Unlike wasps, carpenter bees tend to fly solo, but you may spot a few males zipping around acting territorial (don’t worry, they don’t sting).

✅ 3. Sawdust Piles and Wood Staining

Look just below the entry holes. If you see:

Little mounds of sawdust
Yellowish or brown stains

...that’s from the tunneling. It’s messy, and it’s a sure sign of active nesting.

Why Ignoring the Damage Is Risky for Your House?

Let’s get real. One or two holes might seem like no big deal—but here’s the thing: carpenter bees come back year after year.

And when they return, they don’t start fresh. They reuse and expand old tunnels, weakening your structure more and more.

Here’s what can happen if you don’t act:

Wood rot from rainwater seeping into holes
Attraction of woodpeckers, who love to peck at larvae
Structural instability in fascia and roof framing
Costly repairs that could have been prevented with early action

You don’t want a minor bee issue turning into a thousands dollar roof replacement, right?

How Bees Evictions Remove Carpenter Bees Humanely and Fix the Damage?

At Bees Evictions, we do things differently. We’re not exterminators—we’re bee relocation specialists.

We know bees are vital to the environment, and that’s why we’ve built our entire business around humane bee removal.

Bees Evictions Offers Safe & Humane Bee Removal

We use non-lethal methods to trap and relocate the bees to safe habitats, far away from your home—but still within nature where they belong. No chemicals, no poisons, no harm to bees.

We’re 2 in 1: Bee Removal & Home Repair Company to Save You Time, Money & Hassle

By hiring us, you avoid the hassle and expense of hiring two companies, the bee removal and house repair company.

In other words, we do both the bee removal and house repair job, saving you time, money, and hassle.

When we make the inspection, we explain all the details of the pros of hiring an experienced bee removal company.

We don’t destroy your house. Since we have a general contractor license, we know how homes are built and where the bees are. When necessary, we open the wall, eave, and remove the bees.

Bees Evictions meticulously makes the right cuts in the wall to remove bees alive and unharmed and minimize damage to your house.

Lastly, we fix the wall, eave, or any surface to leave your home as if nothing was living indoors.

Prevention That Lasts

To repel bees, we use sealants that bees hate.

We apply natural repellents, advise on wood treatment techniques, and can even install protective mesh or vinyl trim—so carpenter bees don’t come knocking again next season.

🛠️Related Service Spotlight: Fixing Carpenter Bee Holes in the Wood Eaves Under a Roof

This is one of our most common calls. Whether it’s a Victorian home in Rockridge or a ranch-style house in San Leandro, roof eaves are a magnet for carpenter bees.

Why? Because:

Eaves are typically made of softer wood
They're shaded and protected from rain
They offer a warm, dry space for nesting

We’ll inspect all your eaves, even the second-story gutters and roof edges, to ensure we find every last gallery.

Then we’ll fill, seal, and bee-proof the area using our eco-conscious system.

Real Talk From Bee Affected Homeowners

“I had carpenter bees drilling holes in my roof fascia every spring. I was afraid to spray them and hurt the environment. Bees Evictions removed them without harming them, fixed the damage, and they haven’t been back since!”

— Angela S., Oakland homeowner and loyal client

Our goal is to leave you with peace of mind—not just a patched-up wall. 🐝

Don’t Wait for the Next Buzz – Call Our Experts to Be Bee-Free!

Look, we get it. You’ve got a family, a job, a busy life.

But those holes in your eaves? They aren’t going to fix themselves.

Let us help you:

Inspect your home
Humanely remove the bees
Repair the damage and protect your home

All without harming a single bee. Bee-cause we care about bees—and we care about you.

Serving the Greater Oakland Area

We proudly serve:

Oakland
Berkeley
Alameda
San Leandro
Castro Valley
And surrounding neighborhoods

Ready to Be Bee-Free?

Call Bees Evictions or visit our contact page.

Let’s save your roof—and the bees—together.