Is it common for painted wood to be attacked by carpenter bees?

Carpenter bees are primarily attracted to bare or unpainted wood because they need to tunnel into the wood for nesting. The paint serves as a deterrent since it makes it more difficult for the bees to access the wood beneath. While no wood is completely immune to carpenter bee damage if the paint is worn or damaged, freshly painted or well-maintained wood surfaces are less likely to be attacked. Therefore, it is accurate to say that painted wood is rarely attacked by carpenter bees, making the understanding that these insects target untreated wood critical in pest management and prevention strategies.