Did you know there are over 500 species of carpenter bee globally, and each one is an important part of its environment? I had no idea.

Most bees are feared for their sting. A huge, yellow, and black body accompanied by a loud buzz can send even the bravest of humans running for safety.

In the case of carpenter bees, this fear is not necessary. Male carpenter bees are territorial and protective of their nests, darting after anything that gets too close and sometimes even hovering a short distance away from perceived threats. But despite their seemingly aggressive behavior, carpenter bees are a gentle species.

While the females will sting if deliberately provoked, male carpenter bees, much like honey bee drones, lack stingers. Their behavior looks hostile, but these bees are just protecting their home.

When school children and visitors approach our building during the spring and summer months, they stop in their tracks terrified of the bees swarming around the small wooden structure that surrounds our front door.

I assure them they can walk right past them and no harm will come to them. I often demonstrate this action and hear as often “You are very brave!” Yes, I am very brave.

Though the species are similar to each other, there are a few differences between bumblebees and carpenter bees.

Bumblebees are a large species with yellow and black markings on their plump, hairy little bodies. They build their nests underground and divide their time between their nests and searching for food. Bumblebees are social creatures, forming colonies of up to 50 individuals with a single queen.

Carpenter bees resemble bumblebees in both size and coloring, but their abdomens have little hair and can range from shiny black to green to blue.

Depending on the species, male carpenter bees may have large eyes to look for potential mates. This species is solitary; once young bees emerge from the nest, they will go their separate ways as adults, only sharing a nest when they have mated.

Because they have such small mouth parts, carpenter bees are important pollinators for shallow or flat flowers; for some, such as passion flowers, carpenter bees are the sole pollinating species.

As they visit flowers and feed on nectar, they pick up and transfer pollen to other flowers.

They are important pollinators for native plant communities, gardens, and even some crops.

Out of the estimated $29 billion value attributed to insect pollination, fifteen percent of that value comes from native species like carpenter bees. These bees are also important for pollinating wild plants, creating a food source for birds and other wildlife. Having a good carpenter bee population encourages a stable ecosystem.

Carpenter bees are known for drilling tunnels into old wood. They don’t actually eat wood- they excavate it with their sharp mandibles, leaving little piles of sawdust beneath the entrance of their nest.

They prefer bare, unpainted, or weathered softwoods, and are especially fond of redwood, cedar, cypress, and pine. I don’t know what the wood is surrounding our front door, but it certainly is something that they like.

Personally, I like to stand by the door and watch them. They definitely are busy bees!

Jeannie Carl is a naturalist at the Carbon County Environmental Education Center in Summit Hill. The center rehabilitates injured animals and educates the public on a variety of wildlife found in the area. For information on the Carbon County Environmental Center, visit www.carboneec.org.