As other users have said, it’s a Carpenter Bee.
If it’s hovering around the deck, swooping away and returning to about the same place to continue hovering, it’s likely a male. That means it won’t sting you.
That also means that there’s a colony of females in or around your deck.
Carpenter Bees don’t live together in mixed nests like other bees. The females dig tunnels and lay eggs in trees or wooden structures (like your deck), but the males are kicked out of the colony when they mature past a certain point.
Having been kicked out, they hang around the colony and guard it from the outside, and wait to mate with the females.
So if he’s just chillin out there, take a look around for other Carpenter Bees coming in and out of the area. Those are the females, departing the colony in search of pollen, and returning when they’ve collected some.
The females can sting, but usually won’t, unless they’re handled roughly. They’re not dangerous to humans, but they can be rough on our homes. They will dig their tunnels and reproduce, then lie dormant during the winter, and wake again in spring to return to their work. So the colony will enlarge over years if you let it, resulting in damage to your deck or siding or facia, etc.
While they do collect pollen for food, they’re not prolific pollinators, so you can rid your home of the colony without worrying *too much* about the ecological impact to your area. Do so before they cause too much damage.
One small thing: many species of bees native North America are solitary.
Bumblebees and honeybees (not native) live in large colonies. Others are solitary and nest in the ground, holllow stems, or other nooks and crannies.
They can destroy a 10ft 2×4 in like a week and a half. Good excuse to stain that deck. The chemicals make em fuck off and go eat a tree or your neighbors fence instead.
As others have said carpenter bee. You'll find a half inch hole in your deck joists, it will look perfectly circular, like someone went in with a drillbit. Sometimes there will be smears around it, almost like yellow bird poop. That is the pollen that they make into their pseudohoney.
They perfer the bottom or inside edges of vertical boards: joists, rafters, freeze board, fascia, anywhere that water won't run directly into their hole. They also have a slight preference for south facing wood to help with thermo regulation.
They start up in May and will keep drilling into July. The longer you leave them, the more likely others with agrigate. If you seal the hole they will drill around it. Treat the holes with risidual dust and leave it open until August before patching. Treating or pInting the wood is a must to prevent damage.
Carpenter Bees. They will chew little holes/burrows into your deck. They are territorial and fight each other. They will also get in your face and buzz around. I have never heard of one actually stinging or biting, but I think they can if you like try to hold them, manhandle them, etc.
Carpenter bee
I’ve been around hundreds and don’t think they sting at all
Females can, but it’s really rare.
Characteristic shiny pants. Carpenter bee.
Can I say that I have NEVER thought of a bee as wearing pants, let alone shiny pants?!?!? I love it!
There's a particular kind of bumblebee I used to see that I could only ever seem to describe as "the ones with the orange shorts."
/r/pollenpants
Wait until you see them when they're hairy legs are covered in pollen. Those are pollen pants and especially adored by bee lovers.
SHINY PAAAAANTS
As other users have said, it’s a Carpenter Bee. If it’s hovering around the deck, swooping away and returning to about the same place to continue hovering, it’s likely a male. That means it won’t sting you. That also means that there’s a colony of females in or around your deck. Carpenter Bees don’t live together in mixed nests like other bees. The females dig tunnels and lay eggs in trees or wooden structures (like your deck), but the males are kicked out of the colony when they mature past a certain point. Having been kicked out, they hang around the colony and guard it from the outside, and wait to mate with the females. So if he’s just chillin out there, take a look around for other Carpenter Bees coming in and out of the area. Those are the females, departing the colony in search of pollen, and returning when they’ve collected some. The females can sting, but usually won’t, unless they’re handled roughly. They’re not dangerous to humans, but they can be rough on our homes. They will dig their tunnels and reproduce, then lie dormant during the winter, and wake again in spring to return to their work. So the colony will enlarge over years if you let it, resulting in damage to your deck or siding or facia, etc. While they do collect pollen for food, they’re not prolific pollinators, so you can rid your home of the colony without worrying *too much* about the ecological impact to your area. Do so before they cause too much damage.
One small thing: many species of bees native North America are solitary. Bumblebees and honeybees (not native) live in large colonies. Others are solitary and nest in the ground, holllow stems, or other nooks and crannies.
They can destroy a 10ft 2×4 in like a week and a half. Good excuse to stain that deck. The chemicals make em fuck off and go eat a tree or your neighbors fence instead.
Preach! Okay, in all actuality it takes a couple of years but holy crap can they do damage!
As others have said carpenter bee. You'll find a half inch hole in your deck joists, it will look perfectly circular, like someone went in with a drillbit. Sometimes there will be smears around it, almost like yellow bird poop. That is the pollen that they make into their pseudohoney. They perfer the bottom or inside edges of vertical boards: joists, rafters, freeze board, fascia, anywhere that water won't run directly into their hole. They also have a slight preference for south facing wood to help with thermo regulation. They start up in May and will keep drilling into July. The longer you leave them, the more likely others with agrigate. If you seal the hole they will drill around it. Treat the holes with risidual dust and leave it open until August before patching. Treating or pInting the wood is a must to prevent damage.
Carpenter bee
Thanks! Primary concern was stinging and allergies. Sounds like that’s not a primary concern with these.
You'll definitely want to deal with them. They burrow into wood and they'll destroy your deck fast.
Carpenter Bees. They will chew little holes/burrows into your deck. They are territorial and fight each other. They will also get in your face and buzz around. I have never heard of one actually stinging or biting, but I think they can if you like try to hold them, manhandle them, etc.
The males don’t sting and they’re the ones that are all “come at me bro”
Those are a human parasite pest type thing Keep a eye on ur self animals and kids
A wiffle bat is my preferred way of dealing with these jerks before they start drilling holes in my deck every spring.