Getting rid of carpenter bees

[Jeff Ishaq]

I recently moved into a new house, and am being attacked by carpenter bees whenever I would walk around the garden, which basically circumscribes my house. They drop down and around my head and basically try to chase me away. I've noticed several dozen holes drilled into my eaves, and I did a little Internet research. What prompted me to action was the following image, showing a little 1/2" hole and then a BIG LONG TUNNEL that they bore:

Apparently the tunnels average about a foot in length per bee, but can become six to ten feet long if there are multiple bees sharing the same tunnel. Replacing all the wood around my house isn't something that I want to pay to fix in ten years, and I'm allergic to bees, so I've concluded that they all must die.

I've surmised that the best way to control them is as follows:

1) Map out their holes during the day

2) In the evening, clamber up a ladder and spray Drione Dust ("harmless" dust that doubles as pet flea powder, which apparently is just silica gel that dehydrates the larva and causes them to die) into each hole

3) Leave the treated holes opened for some time, so the bee has a chance to drag the dust down into the chamber, otherwise I'm just wasting my time

4) Caulk the holes shut some time later

I'm curious what time of year is the best time to treat the holes, and how long I should wait until I caulk them shut. Please respond to the newsgroup, not my email.

Thanks!

-Jeff

[Lar]

In article , [e-mail] says... :) I recently moved into a new house, and am being attacked by carpenter :) bees whenever I would walk around the garden, which basically :) circumscribes my house. They drop down and around my head and :) basically try to chase me away.

The ones bombarding you are the males, they have no stinger so are harmless. Messing with mama bee at her nest may be a different story. (she can sting but rarely hear of a sting from carpenter bees).

:) I've noticed several dozen holes :) drilled into my eaves, and I did a little Internet research. What :) prompted me to action was the following image, showing a little 1/2" :) hole and then a BIG LONG TUNNEL that they bore: :) Apparently the tunnels average about a foot in length per bee, but can :) become six to ten feet long if there are multiple bees sharing the :) same tunnel. Replacing all the wood around my house isn't something :) that I want to pay to fix in ten years, and I'm allergic to bees, so :) I've concluded that they all must die.

The nesting sites on the house should be addressed, but no real need to kill everyone that might fly past you. They are a valuable pollinator in nature and I have only come across them stinging at one house where they nested in a wooden swing set and with the kids swinging, stirred some up and a couple of kids were stung. :) :) I've surmised that the best way to control them is as follows: :) :) 1) Map out their holes during the day :) :) 2) In the evening, clamber up a ladder and spray Drione Dust :) ("harmless" dust that doubles as pet flea powder, which apparently is :) just silica gel that dehydrates the larva and causes them to die) into :) each hole

drione is very effective but the real benefit is the 1% powdered pyrethrin that kills mama bee. The larvae probably will be secure in the developing chamber and won't get into the dust until after they pupate, in which once again the pyrethrin will probably bee (get it? :) ) what does them in. :) 3) Leave the treated holes opened for some time, so the bee has a :) chance to drag the dust down into the chamber, otherwise I'm just :) wasting my time

I have never put anymore thought into the holes after I treated them no matter what I may have used and have always had success whether it be a dust or liquid . :) 4) Caulk the holes shut some time later :) :) I'm curious what time of year is the best time to treat the holes, and :) how long I should wait until I caulk them shut. Please respond to the :) newsgroup, not my email. I would treat the holes now for they will only continue to enlarge the tunnels. I would think you can tell if they are still active after a couple of days. I haven't tried it but supposedly dipping a cotton ball in finger nail polish remover then plugging the holes up at night with the cotton ball works well at killing them. They usually attack unpainted wood, so maybe keeping the trim painted or stained may help keep them from future attacks. :)

[JenTra]

[rck]

I've heard they won't go through oil base paint so I painted all exterior wood with an oil based primer. We'll see what happens this summer. Meanwhile, let them go pollinate somewhere else. I spray the holes with any variety of 20 foot aerosol wasp & hornet killer. They are persistent so you have to keep at it. Don't plug the holes until the Fall, then fill with Liquid Nails.

Bob

[Gemini]

For the ones that bother you while outside I have found that a badminton racket works great... it allows you to practice your back swing while getting rid of them. For the ones in the holes, I use a cheap can of carb cleaner from the autoparts store. I just wait until I see it go into the hole, slide the tube into the hole and with one short blast you will hear its last remarks! :)

[Tom Baker]

Now is the best time to dust the bee holes. A squeeze bulb with boric acid powder works well. Twenty four hours is long enough for moma bee and children to die. These bees don't sting, but have mandables that will give you a pinch. Tom Baker

[rck]

Here's a good web site from the Kentucky Dept of Agriculture:

Bob

[Richard J Kinch]

Look, you're making more out of this than need be. Just squirt in some petroleum distillate (naptha, kerosene, lighter fluid, WD-40, Liquid Wrench, etc) to kill the eggs/larvae, patch the hole with exterior wood filler, and paint. These adults only bore unpainted wood.

[NorMinn]

I'll bet they don't bore into charcoal at all! Are you for real, Kinch? Naptha?

[Richard J Kinch]

Sorry, naphtha. Yes.

[rj]

[Gary]

[default]

Are you sure those aren't exit holes? The bees shouldn't be attacking well-painted wood, but if you trap them or the larvae inside, they'll dig their way out.

[Tom Baker]

I too have had carpenter bees begin tunnels through a painted surface

- several in fact and with different woods. I haven't suffered the woodpeckers yet.

Tom Baker

[Lar]

In article , [e-mail] says... :) I too have had carpenter bees begin tunnels through a painted surface :) - several in fact and with different woods. I haven't suffered the :) woodpeckers yet. :) :) I'd guess you used an outdoor latex paint rather than an oil based product or polyurethane. Switching to those should protect you.

[Jim Elbrecht]

My carpenter bees have not been deterred by an undercoating of Kilz- [an oil based primer] and a top coat of latex gloss. I get 2 or 3 every year in the fascia over a bay window. I kill them, plug the holes, repaint-- and wait until next spring.

I think the University of KY says it well when they write; [at

] "Painted or pressure-treated wood is much less susceptible to attack."

They do not say impervious-- just 'less susceptible'. [100 feet away is a shed that has not seen paint since [probably] sometime before the depression. The wood is, I think, American Chestnut. They haven't touched it. That might be coincidence-- or an expensive alternative.

Jim