Carpenter Bee Control

Need Help? Call the Carpenter Bee Control help line at 1-800-877-7290

yellowish stain on windows

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Every spring and summer, I get a yellowish type stain on my window located near my porch.  I have a wood house and I attract carpenter bees.  Above  the windows, there are roof vents.  It is possible that the bees feces are the culprit?  I can send you a picture if you like.  Also, what can I spray in these vents to stop this from happening?

It would be helpful if you could send a photo. We get lots of questions on this problem and a good image could prove helpful at some time in the future.

Based on the time of year (spring), it’s quite common for people to see yellow stains on siding, windows and other areas of the home where carpenter bees are active. In most cases the stains are in fact carpenter bee feces. Pollen is their main food source and if nest access holes are close to the siding, many times their feces will fall directly onto some part of the house. The result is a yellow “streak” which can have some other colors mixed in. It sounds like this is what you’re seeing.

If you review our online CARPENTER BEE CONTROL article, you’ll learn the best way to treat nests is with some DEMISE DUST. If you aren’t able to see their nests, I suggest you take a little time to watch the area where you see the stains. If you sit long enough from mid morning to mid day, chances are high you’ll note some bees coming and going. If you see them you’ll no doubt learn their access points. Many times they’ll crawl through small cracks in the siding or around attic and soffit vents so I’m sure their nest is close to where you think it might be. Once identified, dust these passageways and you’ll stop that nest for sure. This treatment will work even if you cannot treat the nests directly.

To stop future nests from forming spray these same areas with the MAXXTHOR EC discussed in our article. It’s highly repellent to bees and wasps and will keep them off treated surfaces. They’ll immediately detect it’s presence and move away from your home. You may need to do a few treatments this spring but in general one or two is all that’s needed for the season.

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

Bee Article: www.carpenterbees.com

Demise:  bugspray.com/catalog/insecticide/dust/drione-demise-dust-6-oz

Crusader Duster: bugspray.com/equipment/dusters/crusader

Corks:  https://bugspray.com/equipment/equipment-plugs/cork-12

Maxxthor EC:  bugspray.com/catalog/insecticide/liquid/maxxthor-ec

Give us a call if you still have questions.

Technical Support
1-800-877-7290

bees nesting in metal pole

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I have two bees that I believe are carpenter bees who are trying to nest in my outdoor swing. My swing is metal with cushions. On the right and left edges of the swing, there is a gap (like a tunnel) between where the metal pole is and the material that wraps around the pole. I see them going in there and think they are nesting. I am deathly afraid of bees and wasps and want my swing back!! any suggestions? I didnt think carpenter bees nested anywhere other than wood.

You are right; carpenter bees will generally take advantage of exposed and vulnerable wood by drilling out holes in which to nest. However, they also recycle or use old holes from year to year without drilling new ones. It’s quite possible some bees have found the gap you described above and are treating it like an old nest. If it measures close to a carpenter bee nest in width and length. it could be just the right size to make them happy and content. I know of several wasps and bees that will readily move into such spaces and no doubt carpenter bees will if they find them.

Fortunately treatment would be easy. If you refer to our CARPENTER BEE ARTICLE, you’ll see we mention the use of dusts for treating their holes and nests. In this case, the PT-230 DUST would be ideal. One treatment should do the trick. Get them in the evening when they are sure to be inside the nest and simply stick the tube applicator of the dust in the hole and squeeze it on for 1-2 seconds. That will no doubt take care of the problem. I also recommend treating any other gaps you can see as they’re likely to be seen and used if left unprotected.

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

Carpenter Bee Control: www.carpenterbees.com

PT Tri-Die: bugspray.com/catalog/insecticide/dust/drione-demise-dust-6-oz

Give us a call if you still have questions.

Technical Support
1-800-877-7290

carpenter bees attacking cedar log cabin

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Hi,

Cutting to the chase, what do I need to counteract what appears to be carpenter bee activity? I have found several, almost perfectly spherical holes in various logs, ranging from a quarter inch deep to two or more and beyond. Please advise. I appreciate it.

Thank you, J.

As explained in our CARPENTER BEE CONTROL ARTICLE, wood structures tend to get special attention from certain insects and carpenter bees are one of them. Log cabins in particular are extra attractive and if left unprotected, holes will be drilled in which the bees will live. To counteract the nesting, there are two things detailed in our article.

The first is to treat any existing nest with DEMISE DUST. I’m not sure you actually have existing nests thus far; based on the depths of the holes you described above you might be acting early enough to avoid the dust treatment. But if you find any holes a foot or two deep, get them dusted and plugged with our 1/2″ CORKS and they’ll be properly handled for sure. Remember, the dust is excellent to use for cracks and crevices so there are plenty of uses for it on the log cabin one way or the other. It works on a wide range of pests and when used in the spring can go a long way as a preventive treatment.

Next, spray with MAXXTHOR EC to prevent any future drilling. Treat as needed but in general once every two weeks will be expected during the peak bee activity time.  Now once you get past the first 1-2 months, activity should be controlled for most of the year but keep watch in the fall as they might get active then too.

Lastly, if you intend on staining or using any other log treatment at some point in the future, be sure to add some NBS INSECT REPELLENT ADDITIVE. This is added directly to the tank mix and works like the Maxxthor but lasts a lot longer. It’s ability to provide a long residue makes it worth using when treating logs and in some cases can last 2 years making it worth using.

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

Carpenter Bee Control: www.carpenterbees.com

Demise:  https://bugspray.com/catalog/insecticide/dust/drione-demise-dust-6-oz

Corks:  https://bugspray.com/equipment/equipment-plugs/cork-12

Maxxthor: bugspray.com/catalog/insecticide/liquid/maxxthor-ec

NBS Repellent:  https://bugspray.com/exempt/additive/nbs-paint-additive-16-oz

Give us a call if you still have questions.

Technical Support
1-800-877-7290

new bee holes in soffit

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Last year I got your drione dust and treated several holes in my soffit overhang and facia boards. I sealed them with wood filler good and tight so I know no moisture got inside. I also sprayed with cypermetrin and didn’t see anything till now. Then yesterday I saw a new hole. I don’t know how they drilled it so fast but it’s really deep. I figured I had better spray the area to stop new nests but as I went to start spraying, I could hear a buzzing sound and about a foot over there was another new hole being drilled but this bee was coming out of the wood and not going in? I watched it cut through the wood and then fly off somewhere. I can see some holes from last year are close by about a foot to the other side but I know I treated them good with drione so what’s happening? Are they nesting somewhere else I missed?

I suspect this could be related to the extensive sealing you did. In your message you state you “sealed them with wood filler” which leads me to believe you didn’t use our corks to seal treated nests as recommended. As explained in our CARPENTER BEE ARTICLE, the corks serve two purposes in that they first seal the nest so moisture can’t get inside and secondly they allow the nest corridors to stay open and accessible. This way emerging bees will crawl through the DEMISE DUST and die after they hatch from their protective egg chambers. This is vital to controlling the nests. If you sealed the nest and filled the tunnels with wood filler, the emerging bees this year would be forced to exit elsewhere. The only way they know to do this is to drill new holes which would bypass your Demise treatment. The net result would be a new population with new nests this spring and it sounds like this may be happening already.

This time around I suggest you dust the new holes you see with Demise but this time don’t seal them all with wood filler. Instead use the 1/2″ CORKS we recommend as this will keep the tunnels of the nest open and accessible for any bees hatching from egg chambers later this year or next year depending on their cycle. No doubt the wood filler does a good job of sealing the nest but the reality is that it does too good of a job. Remember, Demise is the dust of choice because it will last 6-12 months. But if you effectively seal off all the tunnels you treated so the bees can’t access the treatment, what’s the point? By doing this you have effectively taken away the very feature which makes the Demise such a good product choice. Instead leave the tunnels open so the Demise can work it’s magic.

At this point I also recommend you treat with MAXXTHOR EC to insure no new holes are being drilled from the outside in. And after dusting the holes you do find, cork them and make sure you inspect daily for the next 4 weeks as this is the prime time for them to emerge and begin their summer patterns. If you see any new holes form, dust them accordingly. Follow this routine throughout the entire spring and I’m sure you’ll be able to break their cycle once and for all.

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

Carpenter Bee Article:  www.carpenterbees.com

Demise:  https://bugspray.com/catalog/insecticide/dust/drione-demise-dust-6-oz

Crusader Duster: bugspray.com/equipment/dusters/crusader

Corks:  https://bugspray.com/equipment/equipment-plugs/cork-12

Maxxthor: bugspray.com/catalog/insecticide/liquid/maxxthor-ec

Give us a call if you still have questions.

Technical Support
1-800-877-7290

carpenter bee feces

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do carpenter bee’s or bumble bee’s spray feces?  We have what look like big carpenter bee’s that come back every year and make holes up near our roof on our house.  There’s also sprayed (what looks like feces) all over the top of our house.  I heard that carpender bees do this to know where to come back every year is this true?  If we get rid of the “feces” spray will they go away??

If you read through our CARPENTER BEE ARTICLE, you’ll learn these bees drill through wood to created nests. This drilling will many times create a sawdust by product which can “leak” down siding giving the appearance of droppings or bee feces. Additionally, bees which remain active in one location will definitely defecate as they drill. Feces will also be “pushed out” or disposed through exit holes. Many times this disposal process will cause the feces to trickle down the house siding which is what you’re no doubt seeing.

These droppings are not only messy, they’re damaging. Typically they’ll contain strong acids that have been known to etch glass, stain paint and mar the wood grain of exterior siding. In general they’re near impossible to wash off and often times trying to remove them will result in creating more damage so be careful. And do not clean up the mess until you solve the problem!

Regarding these bees returning each spring; females will reuse old nests from year to year and their offspring will most likely drill new nests close by. As explained in this post:

carpenter bee life cycle

the vast majority of nests will be occupied all winter by hibernating females and males just waiting for the weather to get warm enough for them to emerge and begin their summertime activities. In most areas of the United States this will start in April-May and the activity will continue through Oct-Nov.

Getting rid of the feces will no doubt make the home look nicer but it will in no way influence the local bees nesting in your home. Females in heat are what attract male bees as well as prime nest real estate. If the siding and soffits of your home are left unprotected, the wood will release odors which are conducive to insect infestations and in doing so will many times attract wood loving pests like carpenter bees. At this point it’s imperative for you to treat existing holes with DEMISE DUST and then seal them up with the 1/2″ PLUGS featured in our article. And the best sprays you can apply to prevent new nesting will be either the MAXXTHOR EC or the INSECT REPELLENT PAINT ADDITVE/SPRAY CONCENTRATE. As you’re already seeing, failure to follow these suggestions will just allow the problem to propagate from year to year.

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

Carpenter Bee Article:  https://www.carpenterbees.com

Demise:  https://bugspray.com/catalog/insecticide/dust/drione-demise-dust-6-oz

Corks:  https://bugspray.com/equipment/equipment-plugs/cork-12

Crusader Duster: bugspray.com/equipment/dusters/crusader

Maxxthor: bugspray.com/catalog/insecticide/liquid/maxxthor-ec

NBS Repellent:  https://bugspray.com/exempt/additive/nbs-paint-additive-16-oz

Give us a call if you still have questions.

Technical Support
1-800-877-7290