Southwestern and Eastern U.S. They use their strong mandibles (mouthparts) to chew round nesting holes into wood, hence their name. "Carpenter bees are often regarded as the gentle giants of the ...

The carpenter bee receives its name from its nesting habit. It digs into wood — often a dead tree or fallen log — to make a nest. The bees prefer softer, older wood, but in urban areas ...

They chew on soft wood to form holes for nests. While some eastern carpenter bees may attack the built environment, western varieties prefer to nest in flowering plant stalks, such as agave.