- CARPENTER BEE NESTS
- CARPENTER BEE FEMALES CAN STING
- CARPENTER BEE MALES CANNOT STING
- CARPENTER BEES LOOK LIKE BUMBLE BEES
- CARPENTER BEES ATTACK
- CARPENTER BEE LARVAE ATTRACT PREDATORS
- CARPENTER BEE TREATMENTS
- HOW TO TREAT CARPENTER BEE NESTS
- CARPENTER BEE DUST
- DO NOT SEAL CARPENTER BEE HOLES WITH ANYTHING OTHER THAN A CORK
- USE A HAND DUSTER TO APPLY THE DUST
- HOW TO TREAT CARPENTER BEE NESTS UP HIGH
- REALLY HIGH CARPENTER BEE NESTS
- HOW TO REPEL CARPENTER BEES
- CARPENTER BEE PAINT AND STAIN ADDITIVE
- CONTACT US
- CARPENTER BEE PRODUCTS
Spring has sprung! Ornamental trees are blooming, flowers are growing and insects are awakening. This is an exciting time of year. Mother nature gets to show us that she is omnipotent – nothing can stop her. And one of her creatures which is active now is the carpenter bee. Carpenter bees are prevalent throughout the United States. Although there are different species, the most common is big and resembles a bumble bee. You may find it foraging around flowers, shrubs and under the eaves of buildings. This bee is unique from most because it will bore into wood to make its home. They are a nuisance and can cause damage to any wood on your property. They also bother homeowners by “attacking” them though they rarely sting. To keep your building free of carpenter bees, you must know their biology and habits.
CARPENTER BEE NESTS
Carpenter bees bore holes into wood overhangs, fence posts, and trees. They will crawl between cracks of siding and roofing. When they bore in wood, the hole they drill is about 1/2″ wide. This hole will go straight an inch or two and then turn 90 degrees. The following video shows close up a freshly drilled hole with a female carpenter bee just inside.
This new portion of the nest becomes an egg chamber. Eggs are laid at the end of these chambers and many times in “sub” chambers which stem off the main chamber. Food is placed alongside the egg and then capped and sealed tight. It is common for an egg chamber to be two or more feet long with 10 or more sub chambers. Here is what a typical carpenter bee hole will look like when seen on a 2×4 piece of pine.
If you could “peer” inside a hole, the typical chamber would look like this.
CARPENTER BEE FEMALES CAN STING
Typically the female carpenter bee will stand guard at the nest entry hole. She will defend the nest aggressively and she is armed with a stinger. Once the drilling has been completed, she will spend her days foraging for food. You may find her working Azaleas, Bradford Pears, Daffodils, Pansies and any plant which will provide pollen in early spring.
CARPENTER BEE MALES CANNOT STING
Male bees will be hanging around these same plants hoping to find a receptive female who is still interested in finding a mate. The male bees are naturally curious and will buzz around anything moving including people, pets just about anything they see moving. This buzzing scares people into thinking they are being “attacked”. In fact, the male bee does not have a stinger! He has a distinctive yellow face, which may be seen while he is in flight.
CARPENTER BEES LOOK LIKE BUMBLE BEES
Female bees have no interest other than collecting food. As stated above, they have a stinger but their face is black which is in contrast to the male bees. Carpenter bees are commonly mistaken for bumble bees. There are two main differences.
1) Carpenter bees are generally larger.
2) Carpenter bees have an abdomen which is shiny, metallic and black in color. Their abdomen has no body hair. Bumblebees have yellow and black body hair on all body parts. The following video shows a female carpenter bee closeup as she is chewing an entrance hole to a newly formed nest. Note her shiny metallic abdomen.
CARPENTER BEES ATTACK
In addition to “attacking” residents, carpenter bees are a problem because they tend to return to the same wood or location where they were born. Old nests are used year after year. If the original nest is occupied, other female bees will drill new nests. A single nest one year will become two or three the next. Problems rapidly escalate and soon you may have hundreds of holes.
CARPENTER BEE LARVAE ATTRACT PREDATORS
When you have numerous carpenter bee nests, you will have numerous larva. The larva of carpenter bees is large and noisy. They make enough noise to attract woodpeckers. Buildings which have woodpeckers damaging exposed wood probably has some type of larval activity which is attracting the birds. This insect is most likely carpenter bee larva.
CARPENTER BEE TREATMENTS
To get rid of carpenter bees, you must think long term. The nuisance male bees are easy to kill with PT-515 WASP FREEZE. Try to get as close to them as possible and then spray directly at them making sure to keep the spray on them as long as it takes to kill them. This is usually 3-5 seconds. If you have a lot of females which are boring or hanging around looking for a place to bore, they can be a little tougher to kill. Use the BEE AND HORNET KILLER which seems to work a little faster with less waste.
PT-515: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/pt-515-wasp-freeze-18-oz
Bee Hornet Freeze: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/hornet-killer-15-oz
HOW TO TREAT CARPENTER BEE NESTS
Unfortunately, killing the male bee will do nothing to stop the cycle. You must treat the nest with some material which will last a long period of time so it will effectively stop the larva. If you spray liquid residuals in their hole, you may kill the female. The eggs are protected, however, and six to twelve months later the larva will emerge. Since liquids are absorbed by porous wood, the treatment will be gone when the larva finally hatches. This means the larva have a strong chance of survival.
CARPENTER BEE DUST
To insure complete control, use a dust called DRIONE. It has a desiccant (dehydrating) action and when the larva emerge they will be killed quickly. It is recommended that entry holes are treated with Drione and then sealed using a special 1/2″ CORK. This will protect the dust from breaking down and enable it to last long enough to kill any emerging larva in the future.
Drione: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust
Corks: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/equipment-plugs/cork-12
DO NOT SEAL CARPENTER BEE HOLES WITH ANYTHING OTHER THAN A CORK
Plugging the holes with a cork instead of using wood filler means the tunnels will be accessible for emerging bees when they hatch from their protective egg chambers. When they do finally emerge (which will be either later this year or early next year), the bees will crawl over the Drione and meet their demise. Too many times we get calls from customers who have used silicone sealant to “fill” the holes instead of just capping it with a cork.
The problem with filling the tunnels with a sealant is that emerging young will not be able to move over the Drione. In fact they’ll be forced to drill new exit holes which will be chemical free. Many times these nests will lead into the home or some other location that’s hard to see or treat. To avoid this complication, do not seal the holes. Instead, cap them with corks and allow the tunnels to stay open and useable by bees that are not yet fully developed or active.
Lastly, the other benefit of using corks is that they will enable you to tell which holes have been treated and which (if any) are new.
USE A HAND DUSTER TO APPLY THE DUST
Since the holes can penetrate several feet, you will need to use an applicator like a HAND DUSTER. This tool will help you to apply the dust with enough force to reach deep in the nest where the eggs and larva will be living. Here is a video showing just how to treat their nests using a hand duster.
Hand Duster: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/crusader
HOW TO TREAT CARPENTER BEE NESTS UP HIGH
If you have a lot of holes to treat, you should consider the DUST-R. This device holds almost a whole pound of Drione and because of it’s unique pump handle design, requires very little effort to treat a hole. For large jobs, it’s a real help. Nests can be treated in a couple of seconds. If the holes are just out of reach, use the LONG REACH DUST-R which is essentially the same device except it has a series of extensions that lengthen the unit to over 7 feet long. This means the average person standing on the ground can treat nests over 12 feet high without the use of a ladder!
Dust-R: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/bg-1152-a-qt-duster
Long Reach Dust-R: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/bg-long-reach-dust-r
REALLY HIGH CARPENTER BEE NESTS
For really high nests, the DUSTICK or the DUSTICK DELUXE KIT might be the tool for the job. This duster is over 20 feet long and can be used to access nests which are over 25 feet up with little effort! It’s also a great tool for infestations where carpenter bees are foraging under facia boards or siding which take forever to treat using a ladder. This video shows the Dustick being used.
Dustick: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/dustick
HOW TO REPEL CARPENTER BEES
To get rid of carpenter bees that are foraging to start new nests, you must first finish all exposed wood with a protective paint. A hard finish may deter carpenter bees. However, the author has had his own home attacked and the bees didn’t seem to notice the freshly painted surfaces. The Latex paint which was just applied didn’t seem to slow them down at all. Furthermore, the author has seen them bore through varnish, stain and just about any type of finish. Since cellulose is where they want to call home, wood used on any structure may become a target. If the structure is a log cabin or one with natural wood siding with shakes that are exposed, expect to be attracting carpenter bees every season. All wood gives off a decay odor which attracts these bees and once the structure is found the bees will start their nest making.
CARPENTER BEE LIQUID REPELLENT SPRAY
To stop them from boring new nests, spray CYPERMETHRIN. This product is active against many pests including carpenter bees. Mix it at the rate of 1 ounce per gallon and spray it on any wood surface where carpenter bees may want to bore into wood trying to create a nest. One gallon can treat 500-1000 sq/ft. This application rate works well when treating cedar homes and log cabins. These structures are particularly subject to carpenter bees. If you want to keep them natural it means you will have to do more spraying to keep away carpenter bees and other wood destroying pests.
Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin
WHEN TO SPRAY FOR CARPENTER BEES
Apply the Cypermethrin once every 2-4 weeks in the spring when carpenter bees are most active. Once a month applications throughout the summer will probably provide protection but you may need to increase the applications to every 2-4 weeks in the fall as well to get a complete season of carpenter bee control. Although rain and humidity will break down the chemical, it is active enough so that even trace amounts will chase these bees away and force them to find and build nests elsewhere. Most any SPRAYER will do the job and we’ve got a few that can reach up 20 feet or more making the treatment more effective. This video shows that a “pinstream” spray is best suited for reaching those overhangs and other high places where carpenter bees will many times want to nest.
Pump Sprayer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/good/pump-sprayers
Now that you have the chemical and sprayer, be sure to get good coverage when treating by spraying high and wide. Remember that spot applications are not suggested. In other words, if you have activity in one section of an overhang, be sure to treat all of it since the carpenter bees will probably just move to the untreated section. Since they can sense the Cypermethrin, they tend to avoid where it was sprayed and move to areas which are not protected. Generally, after they find it at several places on your home, they will leave altogether. Remember also that old holes release odors and smells that tend to attract new carpenter bees looking for a good nest sight so be sure to treat as many as possible with Drione and seal them up. This will insure they don’t become a “recycled” nest. If they are too high to access, be sure to spray them with the Cypermethrin which should offer some protection. This will make the carpenter bees avoid the area and help to mask the hole’s odor so it won’t be able to attract as many.
CARPENTER BEE PAINT AND STAIN ADDITIVE
For longer lasting bee repellency, be sure to add some NBS REPELLENT to your paint/stain the next time you finish your home. Just adding it the paint you plan on using to repair and seal the nests you treat can help as well. NBS is an organic insect repellent. Formulated to be used by adding it to any paint or stain, you don’t have to do anything odd or unusual to apply it. And treatments will last 1-2 years adding long term repellency to the exterior coating.
NBS Repellent: http://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/additive/nbs-paint-additive-16-oz
ALL NATURAL BEE REPELLENT
Made from plant oils, this 100% natural product isn’t a pesticide and it won’t kill any insect so you still need to dust with Drione to control existing populations. But bees don’t like the NBS (neither do wasps and other invasive insects) and they’ll avoid siding, fencing, railing, decks, logs, overhangs, soffits and pretty much any place NBS is applied.
ORGANIC REPELLENT SPRAY
NBS can also be mixed with nothing but water and applied with a pump sprayer to your siding, outside furniture, trees, shrubs and any area in the yard where you’ve got some unwanted insect activity. When used in water, the residual will be a lot less compared to when it’s mixed with paint or stain so you’ll need to apply throughout the season every 1-2 months. And remember, it’s a not a pesticide so don’t expect to see anything die. For that, use the Cypermethrin.
NBS Repellent: http://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/additive/nbs-paint-additive-16-oz
Come spring, insects will rebound from a long and cold winter. The carpenter bee is just one of these insects. Treat their nests directly with Drione to insure long term control. Use Cypermethrin on decks, overhangs and fence posts to stop further nests from being drilled. Carpenter bee awareness and control will help eliminate these “attacking” bees from harassing you, your family and your home.
CONTACT US
Give us a call if you need further help. Our toll free is 1-800-877-7290 and we’re open Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM. On Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM and on Saturday, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time).
Email questions here: http://www.bugspray.com/about-us/contact-us
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Please show your support for our business by purchasing the items we recommend from the links provided. Remember, this is the only way we can stay around and keep this valuable web site up and running. Thanks for your business!
CARPENTER BEE PRODUCTS
Here are direct links to all the products listed in our article:
Wasp Freeze: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/pt-515-wasp-freeze-18-oz
Hornet Killer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/bonide-wasp-and-hornet-killer
Drione: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust
Corks: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/equipment-plugs/cork-12
Hand Duster: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/crusader
Dust R: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/bg-1152-a-qt-duster
Long Reach Dust R: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/bg-long-reach-dust-r
Dustick: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/dustick
Dustick Deluxe: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/dustick-deluxe-kit
Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin
Sprayer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/good/pump-sprayers
Insect Repellent: http://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/additive/nbs-paint-additive-16-oz
Comments on CARPENTER BEE CONTROL
Bill Snapp @ 11:02 pm
What kind of paint or sealer can I use to prevent them from boring holes?
admin @ 9:04 am
If you view the very first video in the article above, you’ll see a carpenter bee queen drilling through a wood railing that’s been painted with Duron Exterior Paint. Made by Sherwin-Williams, their Duron paint line is one of the best exterior paint products on the market. It’s tough as nails yet she drilled right through it no problem. So when it comes to paint; there is no product that can stop them.
But if you want to varnish or polyurethane your home, this type of exterior coating will slow them quite a bit. Of course this is not suggested since sealing the wood prevents it from breathing which can no doubt cause a whole other set of pest problems. But I have seen log cabin owners seal their exterior finish so it can be done and this type of finish will definitely slow them down.
Alternatively you can opt to use one of the two sprays we have listed in our article. No doubt the Cypermethrin is the easiest to deploy since it can be sprayed with most any conventional hose end or pump sprayer. And you can apply it as needed, spray it over any type of surface and get protection from a wide range of pests since it has such a broad label. So for me, the Cypermethrin is most practical product and spraying the best method to repel these bees.
Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin
Pump Sprayer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/good/pump-sprayers
But if you intend on painting or staining the home anytime soon, adding some NBS to the tank mix is a no brainer and strongly suggested. This will give you a good 6-12 months of repellency from most perimeter invading pests without having to spray and in most applications made for carpenter bees, it can be all you need for the short term.
NBS Repellent: http://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/additive/nbs-paint-additive-16-oz
Katherine Beeson @ 9:52 am
Thank you for this page. I have had Carpenter Bees for many years in my house roof…….I was told to spray the wood with wasp spray. When the Bee eats into the wood it wood make it so nasty that they would leave. I like what you say about the bees and how to get rid of them…I’m 60 years old and my husband died last year and now I have to try and kill these things by myself. I will be buying all I need from you soon. Thank you so much for the advice…the duster may just be the ticket for me.
Once again, thank you.
admin @ 10:54 am
You are welcome. I believe you can tackle this problem the right way with the right products so hopefully you can reach all the holes and get the job done this time so they don’t keep coming around. The real key is getting their holes dusted with Drione so make sure you can access as many of them as possible.
Drione: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust
John Bullock @ 11:39 am
I bought some Drione about 10 years ago to treat carpenter bees in my previous house. It seemed to work well. We now have a carpenter bee problem in a large wooden arbor at our current house. I have some of the Drione left. Is it still good enough to use or does it lose it’s effectiveness over time? (It’s been kept in it’s original container with the cap screwed on.) Thanks!
admin @ 12:20 pm
When it comes to liquids, I generally say anything over 5 years is probably loosing potency. But rodent bait, lawn granules and dust (like Drione) can remain stable a lot longer. That being said, my guess is your Drione has lost some (if not most) of it’s Pyrethrin and Piperonyl Butoxide. So now the question is will this matter? Maybe not.
If the dust has been kept mostly free of moisture, it could still work. In my experience, Drione will begin to change color over time becoming more grey, tan or brown with age. Along the way it may begin to clump up too. Both of these changes are directly related to moisture being absorbed and if too much moisture gets into the dust, it won’t work.
So for now, I’d at least inspect the dust to see what color it appears to be. If it’s still “close to white” and not a dark grey or brown, you should able to use it. I say that because even with a significant loss of pyrethrin it can do the job. And that’s because it’s main mode of action is to work as a dessicant which it can still do as long as it hasn’t already been exposed to too much moisture.
But if it looks to be bad or if you apply some to a hole and find the bees aren’t dying within a few minutes, I’d say it’s time for a fresh jar!
Drione: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust
Sallie Carlino @ 1:03 pm
The carpenter bees I want to eliminate are mostly inside a large fenced area where all my dogs roam. Is the treatment harmful to pets?
admin @ 1:33 pm
No, the treatments will not be harmful to your pets, people or the environment. In fact, if you follow our directions, there would be no exposure to them anyway. Let me explain.
As our article details, the dust goes in the bee holes – not out in the open. And the Cypermethrin is to be sprayed over the surfaces where the bees like to drill. Since it sounds like this would be a fence, people and pets would barely come in contact with the treated surfaces. But even if they did, it wouldn’t matter.
You see, Cypermethrin is actually labeled for use on plants and turf which means it’s okay to walk over treated surfaces. This means even if they did come in contact with it, nothing would happen.
Here are links to these items in our cart. Please show your support for our business by purchasing the items we recommend from the links provided. Remember, this is the only way we can stay around and keep this valuable web site up and running. Thanks for your business!
Drione: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust
Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin
Please review our safety video’s for more detailed precautions and guidelines for both mixing and handling our products. They can be seen on every product page as well as here:
Safety Videos: http://www.bugspray.com/video/safety-videos.html
Richard Cozby @ 3:29 pm
I noticed that you or someone was using cork to plug the holes. Can you use caulking to fill in the holes ?
admin @ 3:50 pm
Definitely NO! This can lead to all kinds of problems as explained here:
http://www.carpenterbees.com/seal/sealing-carpenter-bee-holes-with-caulking.html
J P @ 2:18 pm
My home is 90% brick but is an older home with trim and eves of cedar. After treating and plugging all the holes the carpenter bees have made, would aluminum or vinyl siding be an option to install over the cedar? And would this help eliminate the bee problem all together?
admin @ 11:09 pm
No doubt covering the cedar with aluminum or vinyl siding is an option. But based on our experience, this would be a bad idea. Here’s why.
Homes which are targeted by carpenter bees have this happen because there is a special scent being released by some part of the home. This is usually certain wood components like trim, soffits or facia boards. And once the wood has nests, there will now be the added lure of female bees, their nest sites and other pheromones that will no doubt attract more carpenter bees. And even after you treat the holes with Drione and seal them with Corks, the smells will linger for many years to come.
Now in cases where we’ve seen people try to prevent new nests from being drilled, what we find is that the bees will merely crawl through small cracks and crevices in the siding that are barely detectable but none the less present. These seams are there for good reason; to allow the siding to expand and contract. So the siding is not an effective, air tight “shell” as some would have you to believe. And once the bees starts entering access points, it becomes even tougher to treat and control the problem because their nests will be hidden and covered up. So in the end, covering the exposed wood is not suggested. So what’s the best way to stop carpenter bees from drilling new nests?
Simple. No doubt the best way to deal with this problem is to dust with Drione and seal the holes with Corks. Next, spray with Cypermethrin. And if you ever paint or stain the wood, add some NBS additive to the mix which will provide much longer lasting residual action compared to the Cypermethrin alone. Though this may seem like it’s a never ending process, in fact it’s quite effective and will keep them at bay. Unfortunately it’s not a permanent solution but it will work at stopping future damage and for now, the most practical solution.
Drione: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust
Corks: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/equipment-plugs/cork-12
Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin
NBS Repellent: http://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/additive/nbs-paint-additive-16-oz
Mary Coble @ 5:50 pm
My husband was under the impression that carpenter bees would not bother with pressure treated wood. Is this not correct?
admin @ 7:03 pm
It’s definitely not correct. Unlike most pests, carpenter bees aren’t eating the wood so the harsh chemicals of the pressure treated lumber won’t affect them. And I’ve seen that after 1-2 years, pressure treated lumber will loose a lot of it’s density and become vulnerable. And though a good coat of paint can help prevent carpenter bees from drilling, even that’s not a sure thing.
Just view the video above, at the start of this article, and you’ll see a carpenter bee that was drilling through my Duration painted railing. Mind you Sherwin Williams Duration paint is thick and strong but this female bee wanted in and nothing was stopping her. And the same can happen with any pressure treated lumber.
So in summary, pressure treated lumber is no doubt less likely to get drilled out by a carpenter bee but it’s not entirely safe unless it’s treated with one of the repellents we have listed above like the Cypermethrin or NBS.
Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin
NBS Repellent: http://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/additive/nbs-paint-additive-16-oz
Fillmore Corpus @ 1:37 pm
I dusted for carpenter bees with drione dust (great stuff, and the dust stick also works great), and within 2 – 5 minutes 2 to 3 bees fell out and died. I then plugged the hole with a cork. Now the next day I see another carpenter bee flying around the holes I plugged. Should I then as a follow up spray with cypermethrin? I am assuming that this bee will not just give up and go somewhere else.
Also, thank you for your very informative videos, help when I called, and your thorough knowledge about carpenter bees. Thanks.
admin @ 1:47 pm
Definitely spray with Cypermethrin. This will both prevent any new holes from being drilled as well as chase off any other unwanted bee activity like you describe since the Cypermethrin is highly repellent to these guys.
Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin
Now one thing you might try the next time you treat any nests is to leave the hole open one day. This way any bees that were away from the nest when you treated will have a chance to enter, pick up the Drione and die. Leaving the holes open one day won’t affect the treatment and if you seal them after 24 hours, the treatment will be equally as effective.
Drione: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust
Rosemary @ 6:44 am
@admin: Is it true that brown paint will attract carpenter bees? Thank you.
admin @ 7:15 am
No. There is no data to suggest that any specific paint color will attract or repel carpenter bees. That being said, if one adds some NBS Paint Additive to any color paint, they will no doubt see the bees stay away from that painted wood for a year or longer.
So in summary, even though we have been able to see data that suggests any color paint can be made highly repellent to carpenter bees, we’ve not seen where any certain color or “lure” can be added to paint that will attract them.
Here are links to these items in our cart. Please show your support for our business by purchasing the items we recommend from the links provided. Remember, this is the only way we can stay around and keep this valuable web site up and running. Thanks for your business!
NBS Repellent: http://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/additive/nbs-paint-additive-16-oz
Carpenter Bee Control: http://www.carpenterbees.com/carpenter-bee-control.html
Arlene Agler @ 8:40 am
Hello – we think we have carpenter bees in our maple tree. Every morning they are flying around the tree. If we spray them directly will it kill them and what kind of product can we use? They are not out in the afternoon and evening. Thank you.
admin @ 9:43 am
If you review our article above, you’ll see the PT-515 is the fast killing aerosol product that can be used if you only have a few to knock out.
PT-515: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/pt-515-wasp-freeze-18-oz
You’ll also read in our article that carpenter bees will generally drill holes for nests and if you have any nests on the tree, you’ll need to treat them with Drione Dust to make sure the problem doesn’t persist.
Drione: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust
Hand Duster: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/crusader
Lastly, if you find more bees coming around drilling holes and building nests on the tree, spray it down with Cypermethrin to keep them away.
Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin
Marlene @ 10:20 am
Hi, we have had a noise in our attic and thought it was mice but have not caught any. The noise was becoming louder and louder and in the same place above our bedroom. When I tapped the ceiling in our bedroom, it was very soft like I could probably put a stick through it and I heard a buzz and then silence. My husband went in the attic and removed some insulation and some bees started coming out. We have siding on the entire house and just had a new roof installed 1 1/2 ago. How could they have gotten in our attic and what can we do to get rid of them? I don’t want them to go through the ceiling in my bedroom!
admin @ 10:49 am
Bees and wasps can gain access to voids and spaces in any home quite easily. There are so many way’s “in” the list of possibilities would be quite long. Facia boards around gutters is one of the more common entry points but any attic vent, soffit vent, seams around chimneys and asphalt roofing as well as getting up under the siding can all be routes that eventually enable them to nest somewhere inside the home.
Now for your current situation, the best way to treat would be from your bedroom “up”. And what I mean by up is through the ceiling where you sense the nest is located. To treat, you should first drill tiny holes through the sheetrock. These holes only need be large enough to fit the straw that comes with Dforce Aerosol which is about 7/64th of an inch wide. So if you drill a series of holes using a 1/8th inch drill bit and space them out in a checkerboard pattern over the spot where you sense the nest to be located, you’ll then be able to inject the Dforce directly through the holes with no risk to you during the treatment. The other advantage is that you get to treat the nest while still inside your living space which is always an advantageous position to be.
To insure you get adequate coverage, drill out a 3 foot square area with the drill holes spaced 6 inches apart from one another. That means you’ll have 7 rows of holes with each row containing 7 holes so the total amount of holes required will be 49. I know this sounds like it’s a lot of holes but since drilling these small holes will only take a second, they can be made in a minute or two.
Next you’ll inject the Dforce into each hole holding the nozzle down for 3 seconds per hole. This will insure you get adequate coverage for the area which in turn will kill all the bees. The big advantage of treating the nest this way is that you’ll avoid any contact with the bees since they’re too big to fit through the holes you drilled and therefore will not be a threat. Additionally, once you’re done treating, you should see instant results meaning the nest should be shut down within an hour of being treated.
Now if you still hear activity the following day, it will mean you didn’t use enough Dforce or the nest was a bit larger than the area you treated which means you should then try to expand the coverage and treat some more. But in most every case I’ve handled this way, a 3 foot square area usually does the trick the first time. Good luck!
D-Force: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/d-force-14-oz-aerosol
Rick Wood @ 9:45 pm
Thank you for your informative web site and videos. After having read and watched it I definitely want to buy the drione and cypermethrin from you. My situation is that I have carpenter bees in an old stump in my back yard – right next to where I decided to build a grape arbor. I have this instinct to get a stump grinder and obliterate it. I suppose I’d minimize the opposition by treating with the drione first, grind out the stump and then spray the remaining area with cypermethrin.
Any thoughts?
Best regards,
Rick W.
admin @ 7:28 am
I believe you’re right on track with what you’re thinking. Personally I’d dust all the holes, cracks, crevices and any other place I could find on the stump with the Drione before I started grinding.
Drione: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust
Hand Duster: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/crusader
Next, I’d let it sit for at least one day. This would insure the Drione had a chance to impact as many pests as possible.
I’d then proceed by treating with a mixture of Cypermethrin. Expect to use 1/2 to 1 gallon of mixed material depending on how large the stump is. And let it soak in during the application. I also recommend treating the ground around it, say an area 20 ft by 20 ft, so that anything which attempted to crawl away during the grinding would be impacted by the Cypermethrin. Expect to use 1-2 gallons to treat the ground. Once this is treatment is done and allowed to sit for a day, I’d go ahead and begin the grinding and removal of the stump.
Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin
Tom @ 6:13 pm
These are but one of the buzzing, flying, stinging insects “plaguing” us. It is unpleasant to be out in our yard to work, play or chill. They often pick places around our only entrance, exists and seating area. The carpenter bees (shiny bodies and all) have bored not only into wood settings but under our cement stoop and in the ground.
None of your article deals with those not building in wood but I assure, these have the shiny bodies and all. Also, they sometimes appear in my bathtub already dead (very odd!). Is there anything different I need to do to safely get rid of this problem — now and “for good”? My biggest concern right now — pertaining to these type specifically — are the ones in the ground that I fear have a big nest that has weekend the ground. Concerned someone — likely postman, landscaper or someone mowing — will put their foot and leg through the ground and right into their nest.
admin @ 6:34 pm
No doubt carpenter bees can nest in the ground. They’ve been known to burrow into the root systems of trees and bushes which can lead them several feet down so what you’re describing can and will happen. They’ve also been known to find buried wood piles and other cellulose in which to nest. Remember, the decaying wood is what attracts them and wood in the ground is easy for them to “smell” and target.
The good news is treatment is both the same and usually pretty easy. So if you’re able to see their entrance/exit holes, dust them with Drione. This will provide instant control of any adults currently active. Be sure to leave the treated hole open for a day and then after 24-48 hours, cap it with a rock or stick. This will enable the Drione to last a bit longer compared to leaving the hole open.
Drione: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust
Hand Duster: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/crusader
Now if you’re unsure where the entrance and exit holes are located, just spray over the ground where you see them with Cypermethrin. And if you effectively “blanket” the area, it will usually get them too. Just keep in mind the spraying is not nearly as fast acting and could take a week or two (along with 2-3 sprayings) to get the desired result.
Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin
Please show your support for our business by purchasing the items we recommend from the links provided. Remember, this is the only way we can stay around and keep this valuable web site up and running. Thanks for your business!
Chuck Alcini @ 2:15 pm
Our home has an exterior of brick and cedar. Every year we have a problem with the carpenter bees boring into the cedar siding and insecticides are only a temporary solution. We are considering having the cedar treated with RhinoShield, but I would like your professional opinion regarding this before we make a decision.
Thank you,
Chuck A.
Dryden, MI
admin @ 10:54 am
We’ve not seen problems resolved when this and similar products are used to deter or repel insect pests like carpenter bees. The best analogy is to compare the RhinoShield to would be something like vinyl or aluminum siding.
Now as you know, vinyl and aluminum siding are solids. Over the years of dealing with pests like carpenter bees, carpenter ants, wasps, etc., we’ve had many customers report they installed vinyl or aluminum siding with the main goal being to stop invasive insects. In most all cases, they report failure. So how can this be? Are the bees drilling through the solid exterior? No.
Basically what happens is that the pests simply avoid the material and instead, focus on gaps and joints where they’re able to enter and nest. Granted the damage to the exterior siding will usually stop following these exterior treatments and coverings, but the nesting will still happen and with the nesting, an ongoing bee problem that really must be treated properly if a real solution is to be achieved.
This happens for two reasons. The first is because (as our article above explains), bees that leave a nest tend to come back to the same area to nest and start new nests. Kind of like salmon. So only when you kill these bees and make the area unlivable for them will you stop them from returning.
The other reason is related to the “smell” of your home. Mind you this is not something people can smell. But bees looking to nest are attracted to areas which contain the smells of decaying cellulose (wood) and the scents left behind from old established nests. So regardless of what kind of finish you put on your home, these smells will still linger and in turn, attract more carpenter bees.
So are we saying the RhinoShield is a bad product? No. In fact it does provide an exterior finish that can last a good 10 years or more. And this protection is overall good for most any homes exterior. But you should not invest in this product with the sole expectation that the bees will go away. In fact, what you should expect that they’ll both linger and in the end, be more difficult to treat if you install RhinoShield over an existing problem like you’ve described.
I say this because once the home is treated with RhinoShield, the bees will be forced to utilize nothing but the gaps, cracks and crevices of the exterior. This will make identifying nests a lot more difficult and even if they are found, harder to treat.
So does this mean you shouldn’t get RhinoShield? I would answer no; getting RhinoShield should still be considered. Just don’t get it installed until after you resolve the current infestation using the Drione Dust listed above.
Having dealt with carpenter bees for over 30 years, I can state vehemently that when used properly, Drione will immediately kill any bees using a nest and render the nest useless so it cannot be reused in the future. Furthermore, if all the cracks, joints and gaps of the homes siding are dusted with Drione, bees and other pests will not be able to utilize these areas for nesting.
And with that being stated, it should come as no surprise that what I suggest you do is to first dust all the holes and then all of the homes siding with Drione. Use a Hand Duster or Dustick to make the treatment and once this treatment has been done, let it sit for a day or two before sealing all the nest holes with Corks.
Now after the holes are sealed, spray the homes exterior with either Cypermethrin or NBS to keep new bees away. I’m certain that if you follow this suggestion precisely, you’ll get positive results and within 1-2 weeks, you will barely see a bee hanging around any old holes or looking to start a new nests.
Now after you see achieve these results, you should still consider getting the RhinoShield installed. No doubt having it applied after the bee problem is fixed is the way to proceed and if I was to speculate, I’d say the combination of properly treating the existing holes combined with the RhinoShield, you should be able to get the best long term results and ultimately, a bee free exterior to your home.
Here are links to these items in our cart. Please show your support for our business by purchasing the items we recommend from the links provided. Remember, this is the only way we can stay around and keep this valuable web site up and running. Thanks for your business!
Drione: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust
Hand Duster: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/centrobulb-14-oz-w12-ext
Corks: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/equipment-plugs/cork-12
Dustick: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/dustick
Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin
NBS Repellent: http://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/additive/nbs-paint-additive-16-oz
Marcie @ 11:33 pm
Thank you for the informative website. We have a carpenter bee problem in our daughter’s wood swing set. We definitely want to get rid of this pest but are concerned about the toxicity of pesticides. What treatment and products would you recommend that are safe for use around a play structure and kids?
admin @ 8:25 am
All of the products we have listed for treating nests and the surrounding area will not pose a hazard to children, adults or pets. When done properly, the Drione will be contained in the tunnels and once the tunnels are corked, there will be no way for anyone to come in contact with the material.
As for the spray; the Cypermethrin is diluted at the rate of just 1 oz per gallon of water and once dilute, poses no hazard to people or pets. Now you do need to keep the kids away when you treat but once the treatments dry (which will take 1 hour or less), everyone can come back and go about their normal routine without undue risk or hazard. More information about how to handle, mix and apply our products can be read on line here:
Product Safety: http://www.bugspray.com/about-us/who_is_bugspray.html#safe_for_the_home
Now if you’re still uncomfortable spraying the Cypermethrin, you can opt to apply NBS instead. It’s organic, won’t kill insects but still has good “bee repellency” action which will help prevent new nests from being drilled.
Here are links to these items in our cart. Please show your support for our business by purchasing the items we recommend from the links provided. Remember, this is the only way we can stay around and be here to answer your questions and keep this valuable web site up and running. Thanks for your business!
Drione: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust
Hand Duster: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/crusader
Corks: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/equipment-plugs/cork-12
Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin
NBS Repellent: http://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/additive/nbs-paint-additive-16-oz
Ben @ 6:55 pm
This may sound strange but I have a rock retaining wall and I have carpenter bees living in it. I’m pretty sure that’s what they are. They are big fat bees that make a loud buzzing noise and have black rear ends but are yellow with a black spot on their backs. I sprayed in there once but 2 days later I saw them again. So I sprayed the inside with with an expanding foam to try and seal it up. I can’t “cork” holes in a stone fence and there are too many potential entrances between the rocks to do so anyway. It has now been 6 days and everyday I still see bees trying to find a way in. They’re not too happy but boy are they persistent. Any advice? I want to grout all the holes but this may not be easy with bees buzzing around me.
Ben @ 7:04 pm
Okay, I see that you said above that carpenter bees can burrow into ground nests and get into root systems…. This makes sense because I had a birch tree die in the ground area behind the retaining wall a year ago. It was removed but the roots are still in there (Birch borers killed the tree). So now there is dead decaying roots in the ground there for sure. I have a new fringe tree (small) growing nearby there too. So first, I’m worried the insecticide will get into the ground and kill my new tree. Secondly, I have to get this under control and then seal every crack in the rock retaining wall. So I still need advice but just wanted to add that. Thanks.
admin @ 9:51 pm
First, stop sealing the entry ways the bees are using. This will only force them to move in and out of other areas and in turn, make treating more difficult. Anytime you can see activity and you know the pathways they’re using, you should never seal it up. In fact, it would be wise to remove any of the foam you applied right away. This will allow the bees direct access and once you treat it as explained below, make the application that much more effective. But if you force the bees to create new entrance/exit ways, things might get a bit complicated.
Second, most any insecticide we’d recommend will not hurt trees. In fact, many of our products we recommend are actually used on trees and shrubs to help save them from insects. You see, insecticides only work on insects. For trees, shrubs, plants, etc., it’s herbicides that can kill them – not insecticides.
That being said, if you’ve been spraying some kind of wasp bee freeze into these gaps, you could definitely hurt any plant that received a direct blast of the aerosol. This is because aerosols have all kinds of solvents and harsh additives that should not be used in the ground.
But what would be ideal is Drione Dust. It will easily penetrate deep into the voids and reach any hidden nests and because it’s a dust, it won’t get absorbed into the ground like a liquid. Apply it with a good Hand Duster and you’ll see instant results.
And after you treat, don’t seal any of the gaps. Instead, leave them open indefinitely. Yes, over time the Drione will break down and loose it’s effectiveness but I expect a properly done treatment will last 2-3 months at least. And if any bees or other pests start coming around again, you’ll only have to dust some more and any insect pest will be quickly controlled and eradicated.
Drione: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust
Centro 14 oz: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/centrobulb-14-oz-w12-ext
Give us a call if you still have questions or concerns. Our toll free is 1-800-877-7290.
Customer Care
U-Spray Bugspray
PS: Please show your support for our business by purchasing the items we recommend from the links provided. Remember, this is the only way we can stay around and be here to answer your questions and keep our web site up and running. Thanks for your business!