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NOTES ON OTHER BEES FROM THE MICHIGAN STATE APIARIST MICHAEL HANSEN

Bumble bees by nature are ground nesting insects, often location their nests in old mouse burrows, though occasionally they are found nesting in the voids of stone walls, or brick work. I don't think there is much concern about the Bumble bees being home invading.

Carpenter bees, Xylocopa virginica, are another species of bees that we see in our environment. There are two types of Carpenter bees, but we most often see the one that most resembles a Bumble Bee. Bumble bees are hairy, while the Carpenter bees have a shiny black abdomen. Ohio State University has a fact sheet on Carpenter bees that you can find at:
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2074.html

Carpenter bees will burrow into the wood of a home forming larval galleries where they place their eggs. In their natural habitat they burrow into and nest in dead trees. As a result Carpenter bees, while valuable pollinators, are an unwanted pest if they start to nest in your home. Over time they can do structural damage by burrowing through wood to make galleries where they lay their eggs. If you have Carpenter bees, you'll want to have an exterminator control them, then patch the hole and paint exposed wood to inhibit their return.

Related articles:
Bumble bee faq's
Carpenter Bees - Ohio State University

More on bumble bees:
http://hercules.users.netlink.co.uk/Bee.html
http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC2500.htm
http://hercules.users.netlink.co.uk/Bee.html