Carpenter bees at work in Wichita

Carpenter bees have been at work in the Wichita area, tunneling into wood that is usually a cedar garden structure or siding, extension agent Bob Neier said Thursday.

The bees can damage or ruin the structures, Neier said, so homeowners may want to take action to stop them. The pesticide Sevin can be placed into holes so that the bees carry it back into the recesses to kill the offenders, he said. The holes also can be puttied up and the outside painted to make the surfaces less attractive to the bees. Stain isn’t enough to discourage them, Neier said.

Carpenter bees have shiny blue-black abdomens and are not aggressive unless provoked, K-State says. Their holes are about half-inch in diameter and can be 6 inches deep.

This story was originally published April 9, 2015 at 10:41 AM with the headline "Carpenter bees at work in Wichita."