They too do not eat wood like termites or wood boring beetles, but carve out a main tunnel with several side pockets to lay their eggs and seal the chambers with honey type filling that will feed the larvae and future bee. Carpenter Bees are pollinators so its best to deter them from infesting rather than kill them. Only the female has a dart and in spite of their loud and low monotone buzzing, they are not aggressive like wasps or other honey bees. They are not eusocial insects like honey bees but rather independent bees who like to nest nearby each other, which is way they are often see in small numbers. They prefer softer sappy wood but will also nest in hardwood. The best is to replace and relocate the infested wood member during winter time if possible, or plug the holes with an epoxy wood willer. Painting or staining the wood member is a good way of deterring the insects from re-infesting.