If you take some time to read through our CARPENTER BEE CONTROL article, you'll learn exactly what you need to do. A quick dusting with some DRIONE will take care of them instantly. Plug up the hole 1 day later with some of our 1/2" CORKS and you'll be done with that nest for sure. If you only have 10 or less nests to treat, a can of the PT-230 (aerosol version of Drione seen on the DRIONE page) will be enough to do the job.

To keep them away, spray the entire swing set with CYPERMETHRIN. Treatments should last 2-4 weeks and are easy to apply using any standard PUMP SPRAYER.

Organic options include the DE DUST in place of the Drione and some BUG PATROL in place of the Cypermethrin. Neither will last as long so expect to do an extra application or two but they will handle the problem.

Here are direct links:

http://www.carpenterbees.com/carpenter-bee-control

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page256.html

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page257.html

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page259.html

http://www.gotosprayer.com/sprayers

http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/dust/mothers-earth-diatomaceous-dust

http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/concentrates/bug-patrol-rts

The first thing I'd like to know just what kind of bee you found in your bed. Do you think it was a carpenter bee? If so, it was most likely leaving an existing nest which is what most do this time of year. One can never tell how many more times this might happen unless you know you have several nests. As explained in our CARPENTER BEE CONTROL ARTICLE, these nests will commonly lead to them getting inside the home if not treated properly the year before. In fact, this post discusses this exact problem happening to someone that closed up some holes in their sunroom:

http://www.carpenterbees.com/carpenter-bees/bees-getting-in-sunroom.html

Now if you are able to see a lot of bee activity outside the home at this time, determining the kind of bee which is active will then enable you to find out how to treat the nest. It's still early spring and my guess is you either had a rogue adult carpenter bee emerge inside and most likely you won't see anymore. But if you know there is a history of them being outside the home, either treating or hiring a service company to take care of any nest locations would be warranted to insure no one else gets stung.

In summary, if you learn you have some other bee or wasp and not carpenter bees, go to our main site www.bugspray.com and choose the species you've identified for more information on what will be needed to treat local infestations. At that time you can either hire a service company or get the products we have listed and do the treatment yourself. Of course you can always call us to discuss the problem too.

If you take some time to review our online article on CARPENTER BEE CONTROL, you'll learn that each spring the developing young will start emerging from nests which were active the preceding year. If the nest entrance/exit holes were plugged up somehow or now are blocked and no longer usable, the emerging bees will find alternative pathways to get out and go about their business as they do each spring. I suspect this could be happening in your sunroom based on the limited information you've provided.

Unfortunately, stopping the bees will be difficult without knowing their pathways. I have seen two common scenarios that seem to happen a lot with such problems: 1) The old holes were plugged during a paint job/construction project and the exiting bees are drilling new pathways out of their old nests or 2) the bees are able to exit their old nests but cannot get to "free air pathways" as they are now trapped in some wall or ceiling void. After following what they either sense or see as a way "out", they're actually entering your home and not the outside air space.

The scenarios listed above are quite common. I've dealt with hundreds of such problems and really there is no easy fix. Leaving the windows open generally isn't practical but if you're able to contain them in the sunroom during the day and then let them out all at once when you know there are 1 or more active in the room, this could be a temporary solution. But as far as treating is concerned; just what is it you feel you can treat? Without knowing the hole location they're using you would effectively be aiming blindly with any application and this is not a "smart" way to do any kind of pest control.

In summary I would say to wait it out. Most carpenter bee nests will only consist of 3-9 bees. With any luck, they'll all emerge in the next 1-3 weeks as spring develops and it warms up. The real key will be to prevent future nesting. This can be done using the CYPERMETHRIN we have listed in the article. And if you discover some live active holes that are either old or new, treat them with the DRIONE and then plug them up. This will shut them down for sure and prevent any such pattern next spring.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

http://www.carpenterbees.com/carpenter-bee-control

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page259.html

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page256.html

jonathan

www.bugspray.com

As you probably read in our article and a post or two, the dust applied up under the siding will definitely get any bee, wasp or other invasive insect that tries to crawl up and into this protected space. Though difficult to directly dust or spray, carpenter bee trails and nests will be affected by a good dusting. And this dusting can be done with a HAND DUSTER or our DUSTICK. The good news is the same space the bees are trying to exploit will also serve to protect the dust you apply. That means the DRIONE should last several months in these locations. Not quite as long as when you're able to treat the nest directly and plug it up but certainly long enough to solve the problem. And in most all the cases I've treated this way, one good dusting is all that's needed. Carpenter bees in the spring will be determined and once they locate a good space to nest, they won't give it up. This will lead to their demise within a day or two of treating.

As for the Dustick being able to handle a liquid; this is not possible. It's for dust only. But even so, you should plan on liquid treating with the CYPERMETHRIN after the dust has been applied. Remember, the most important part of the dust treatment will be the material that gets up under the siding and not what's left out in the open. When spraying, yes some of the liquid will wash away dust left on the siding surface. However, this dust isn't important anyway so there is no need to worry about loosing it. The key part of the treatment will be the dust that gets  up under the siding and with the Dustick, you should be able to get what's needed into this tight little space.

A good game plan for you would be the following:

1) Get the Dustick and at least one lb of Drione. Also get some Cypermethrin and a good Pump Sprayer.

2) Sometime early in the season either before or just as the bees become active, you should do a thorough dusting of the home. I know you said there are some "15" spots where they're active but I suggest you treat more than just these areas. I have found walking the perimeter of my home and treating once in the spring and then again in the fall is a good way to keep all kinds of invasive insects at bay.

3) Let the dust settle for a day and then do a good spraying focusing in on key locations. Don't be afraid to use at least 2-3 gallons of finished product. And remember, letting it run down the side of the house on the siding will only help to provide a larger area with a protective barrier in place.

4) As for the locations which are extra high around the peak of the house; these are key locations that must be dusted thoroughly. I have found everything from carpenter ants to carpenter bees to wasps and even termites love these areas so don't avoid them. It sounds like this is a key location at your home so do whatever is needed to gain access. Sometimes working from the top of a truck or ladder will help. And most definitely practice on other parts of the home with your Dustick to get to know this tool before you attempt the "hard part" of dusting the highest possible location. I have found keeping the unit as straight "up" as possible helps as does letting it lean on the side of the home gently in between "pumping" as a good way to stabilize it. The thing to remember is to "not fight" it and keeping it straight up and down will help to keep it sturdy and use the force of gravity with you instead of against you. I also suggest getting our FACE SHIELD too so you'll be able to work directly underneath the area without having to worry about any dust or other debris falling on you.

In summary, the time to treat will be soon. Carpenter bees will start being active here in the south come March. Across the country the season will range from March-May and really it depends mostly on local temps more than anything when they will start in your region. Since the dust will last long, I suggest getting some out at least 1 month ahead of time; 1-2 weeks would be plenty close to cut it if you are wanting to wait till the last second. The point is if you have something in place when they first start to forage, chances are high most will avoid your structure altogether and in the end, isn't that really what you want?

Give us a call if you have further questions or need some help. Our toll free is 1-800-877-7290. Between our videos, technical articles and telephone support, I'm sure you'll be able to get rid of these bees for good!

jonathan

www.bugspray.com

We appreciate your site and product list and want to see if you have what we need. Last Summer, we had a bee keeper come and remove our honey bees and honey from an eve that extends about one foot out from our house. The bees are gone, but we want to make sure that they don't come back and have heard that their pheromones will attract more if any of the hive is left behind. What remains of the combs are very much stuck to the eve and we don't want to have to tear the whole thing down. Could one of your products be used to coat the remaining comb with so it won't attract any more bees? If not, do you have ant suggestions?

With much appreciation,

G.&W.

Spraying the remaining comb with some CYPERMETHRIN will prevent other bees from finding it interesting. The Cypermethrin is highly repellent to bees and they'll readily stay away from treated surfaces. We sell a lot of it for Carpenter Bees and it's fine to apply on the eve or side of your home. You can use a good PUMP SPRAYER or even a HOSE END SPRAYER for the application. And though winter isn't quite over yet, it soon will be so be sure and treat before the bees arrive!

Here are direct links to all the products listed above:

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page259.html

http://www.gotosprayer.com/sprayers/pump-sprayers/one-gallon-solo-hd

http://www.gotosprayer.com/sprayers/hose-end-sprayers/gilmour-six-gallon-hose-end-385

Currently there is no "additive" for paint or stain that can be used to repel carpenter bees outside homes or other structures. There are just too many problems designing such a product and at this time nothing has proven effective for any length of time as the following post explains:

http://www.carpenterbees.com/stain/adding-cypermethrin-to-paint.html

Having dealt with this pest for over 30 years, I'm confident of what does work. For my money and time, the DRIONE DUST applied every spring around the perimeter of my home does the job. It seems as though wasps and bees like nesting where roof and gutters meet by soffits and eaves. These locations notoriously have gaps, a lot of moisture and a protected area (under the eave) which is an instinctive location most bees and wasps try to find when seeking nest sites. Using a DUSTICK, I've learned applying Drione to these areas does a great job of stopping most every insect that might try to invade. And getting it applied in the spring, before pests like carpenter bees establish themselves, seems to be important. As our video's show, the Drione will permeate up into the shingles and gaps and essentially take away these locations as nest sites. And since these are protected from direct weathering, the dust can last several months making for long term protection.

I've also learned most people aren't willing to dust once a year since it does require a little effort and time. That's when we tested and learned the CYPERMETHRIN does a good job when sprayed to these surface areas. Obvisously if you could somehow incorporate the Cypermethrin into the paint you would think you could then extend this residual to last a year or more. But this just isn't the case. If you aren't willing to dust with the Drione, spraying the Cypermethrin once a month will usually do the job. In fact, I'm sure if you applied it every spring to the area you mentioned above you'd be able to stop them before they ever got started. For now, this is the best we have so  I recommend using either of these two treatment regimes and you'll be able to keep carpenter bees and many other invasive pests under control. If you have further questions or concerns, give us a call on our toll free 1-800-877-7290.

Take some time to read our online CARPENTER BEE CONTROL article to get more details but the bottom line is you generally do not want to seal up holes until they are dusted adequately with PYGANIC DUST. As we explain in the article, these holes are where eggs and food are stored. When you putty them up without treating first, the larvae will be able to complete their cycle and when mature, drill their way back out. This will get you back to square one. To stop this from happening, dust before sealing. This way they'll be doomed when they hatch and try to forage out.

Come next spring, there is a good liklihood more carpenter bees will come around looking to drill new nest holes. This is due to the odor and scent of previous activity that's been around the home since the first nests were drilled. And though the three coats of oil based paint should slow this process it's usually not enough alone. There is simply too many gaps and seams so they'll find entry points you can't even see. By spraying over the top with the CYPERMETHRIN we have featured in our article, you'll put in place a strong repellent they don't like. This will keep them away and stop new nests from being drilled.

Carpenter Bee Nest Dusting

Title

Carpenter Bee Nest Dusting

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2:11

Title

Drione Dust: Why you need it for Pest Control.

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8:26

Title

Carpenter Bee Chewing Wood

Runtime

3:01

Title

Carpenter Bee Foraging

Runtime

1:59

Title

Carpenter Bee Dustick Treatment

Runtime

3:34

Title

Carpenterbee closeup

Runtime

2:05

Title

Crusader Hand Duster demonstration.

Runtime

2:03

Title

Centrobulb comparison

Runtime

2:49

Title

Pyganic Dust: Drione replacement Dust

Runtime

7:32

]]> http://www.carpenterbees.com/how-to/carpenterbee-videos.html/feed 0 http://www.carpenterbees.com/house-siding/bees-under-wood-siding.html http://www.carpenterbees.com/house-siding/bees-under-wood-siding.html#comments Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:02:57 +0000 admin http://www.carpenterbees.com/?p=123 Hi, I am contacting you to inquire about what product and equipment you can recommend to get rid of bees that living under my wood siding.  Is this a job I can do myself or should I just call a professional.

More on bees under wood siding

Bees and other pests will commonly take advantage of small spaces and voids like that which could be in a support column like the one you're describing. For this application, the best approach is to make a small access hole and treat with some PYGANIC DUST. Using a small CRUSADER HAND DUSTER, you will be able to "puff" the dust through the access hole which ideally should be located above the nest. If I were treating the column, I would drill the hole as close to the top of the column as possible and treat through this point.

In theory, it should only take the one access point to get enough dust into the space to solve the problem as long as the nest is in fact located inside the column. From this location the dust should flow down and coat all areas of the void. I'd use enough of the dust to insure good coverage and I would do at least two treatments to make sure it's uniform and complete. It will probably take 2-4 oz of Pyganic to get it properly dusted. I would expect quick results with most of the bees dying in the first day. By the second day there should be little activity and by the third day, if you still see them coming and going be sure to treat again but this time make holes closer to their access point thus making the dusting more directed at them. On a related note, if you see they have "drilled" access holes, treat them by dusting the holes directly as well as treating the entire void as described above.

Since this area is essentially an open air space, the use of a dust would be much preferred over any type of spray.