Which characteristic is not associated with carpenter bees?

The correct characteristic that is not associated with carpenter bees is the presence of frass in tunnels. Carpenter bees are known for their wood-boring habits, as they create tunnels in wood for nesting. However, unlike some wood-destroying pests, they do not typically produce frass—wood shavings or excrement—visible around their tunnels. Instead, the entry holes are usually clean.

In contrast, carpenter bees do inhabit wooden structures, often targeting unpainted or weathered wood, where they can create their nesting cavities. They are also larger in size relative to many other bee species, which aids in their ability to drill into wood. Additionally, while they do not collect pollen in the same way that some other bee species do, carpenter bees possess a hairy abdomen that aids in pollen collection, even though they are more solitary compared to others that exhibit foraging behaviors akin to honey bees.