Carpenter Bees: Pollinators or Nectar Thieves?

Q: Are carpenter bees good pollinators? Some sources say yes, others say they're not very beneficial.

A: Their pollination value is questionable. They do pollinate large, open flowers like sunflowers, but they often "rob" nectar from smaller blooms by slicing through the base, bypassing pollen transfer. In my garden, most blueberry flowers show these telltale slits from carpenter bee nectar robbing.

Resources: Carpenter Bees – Auburn | Carpenter Bees – UGA | Carpenter Bees – Cobb County Extension