[log in to unmask] wrote:
>
> This is our first spring living in North Carolina and have found that
> springtime brings about a daily swarm of "Carpenter Bees".  They swarm all
> around our front door & patio.  We've become prisoners in our own home.
>
 
The ones that hover around yout door are the drones (note the yellow spot
on their face). They don't sting.  They're really good at tracking motion,
since they're looking for something to mate with.
 
The females are the ones that bore holes in the deck, etc. They will sting
if provoked. I have yet to find anything short of galvanized flashing that
discourages them.
 
                                                Dan Kerl
                                                [log in to unmask]