Carpenter Bee Control

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

carpenter bees in door frame

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I noticed that there were two holes made by carpenter bees on my doorframe – I sprayed insecticide and also bordered up the holes with steel wool. I watched the carpenter bees try to get thru the steel wool and they were unsuccessful – that was 2 days ago and they have not been back. My question is if in fact larvae had been laid in the wood prior to me sealing the holes, can that larvae do any damage?

At this time there is a strong chance the holes in your frame have larvae. As our Carpenter Bee article explains, females drill holes and then lay eggs inside that will take a few months to mature.

Now in our article you’ll also learn that the only product which will last long enough in the nest to control all stages is Demise Dust. This is because liquid treatments typically get absorbed by the wood and will be gone within a week or two so are not a viable treatment option for this kind of problem.

Additionally, female bees are not likely to give up and move away from established nests. In fact they typically will do whatever they can to get back inside so if they can’t get through the steel wool you inserted, they’ll probably end up drilling new holes.

At this time I suggest you remove the wool and treat with some Demise. Next, leave the holes open. This way the females will return, crawl through the treatment and die. After 3 days, you can go ahead and cork the holes and the problem should be resolved for good. This is because the Demise will lay active in the nest so that when the developing larvae try to come out later this year or next spring, they too will crawl through the dust and die. This will happen whether they crawl through it as larvae or adults.

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!

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

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

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

You may want to review our article for more information on why it’s important to get these nests treated properly. This article can be found here:

Carpenter Bee Control: www.carpenterbees.com

Give us a call if you need more help. Our toll free is 1-800-877-7290 and we’re open 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM Mon-Thur; 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Friday and 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM Saturday, Eastern Standard Time.

Technical Support
www.bugspray.com

carpenter bees outside balcony

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Hi! How are you? I just moved into an apartment on the second floor. I noticed that I have 2 large Carpenter bees floating around on my balcony and I am allergic to bees. I enjoy to spend my time outside with my dog but I do not wish to get stung. I read on your site about the nesting, but to be honest I don’t know where it would be. I would like to get rid of them or get them away so I don’t have to panic every time I walk outside. If you can give be a bit of advice on what to do, it would be helpful. There is also a tree below and in front of my balcony so again im not sure where the nest is coming from. Please help. Thank you.

In our article we talk about both males and females. In this section you’ll learn that females tend to make nests and hang around them. Basically they’re very shy and secretive and only seen going in and out of their nests as well as foraging for food on flowers.

Male carpenter bees are very different. Basically they’ll forage and hang around out in the open. Constantly looking for females, they don’t hang around nests or flowers but will commonly be seen “floating around” like the bees you’re describing.

More importantly, male carpenter bees do not have a stinger. So I’m fairly sure you have nothing to worry about with the bees you’re seeing. That being said, there are some things you can do to either minimize their presence or eliminate them altogether.

So the most effective thing you can do is find any local nests and get them dusted with Demise. This in turn will eliminate the females which are attracting males. My guess is somewhere near there is at least one nest. And all it would take is one or two females active in this nest and their scent would be strong enough to keep several males around the area.

So for now, I suggest you go back outside and start looking around for any nests. Remember, females will commonly drill holes into fences, shutters, overhangs, facia boards, under gutters, around door frames and basically anywhere wood is used. And they’ll readily nest in trees and shrubs too.

So if you’re able to find a nest or two, get them dusted with Demise. This in turn will kill the females and once they’re gone, their pheromone scents will disappear. This in turn will cause the males to loose interest in hanging around and cause them to leave.

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

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

Now if you’re not able to find any nests, the next best way to chase them off would be by using either Maxxthor or NBS. Either spray can be applied to any surface close to where you’re seeing bees flying. So if there is a flower pot or plant they’re hanging around, treat the plant. If there is a flag or balcony railing they favor, spray it. Male bees will many times notice a color that will keep them focused and this color could be your balcony railing, maybe a flower pot on the balcony or even something else around the area.

Whatever it is, spray it down with either the Maxxthor or NBS and you might be able to chase the unwanted bees away. Both of these materials are highly repellent to bees and they can detect it’s presence causing them to relocate.

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

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

More information on these bees including the differences between males and females can be seen here:

Carpenter Bee Control: www.carpenterbees.com/carpenter-bee-control.html

carpenter bees in window sill

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I have several holes on the upstairs window sill which is very high up, too high to climb since the ground is not level or stable under where I need to get to dust these holes. Since it is outside a window, we are tossing around the thought of cutting a hole in the window and handling the problem from the inside of the house. How long after I dust do I need to wait before I cork the hole(s)? And if I do nothing about this problem, will it just continue season after season? Thank you very much.

As explained in our Carpenter Bee article, letting these bees nest around any home, fence or close to any structure is basically saying you’re okay having them every year because once they start, they’ll never leave. Additionally, the offspring produced by the original nests tend to congregate where they were born. This means it’s highly likely the holes you have now will only increase if left untreated.

So to prevent this from happening, dusting with Demise and capping the holes with Corks is the way to go.

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

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

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

Now if you’re able to reach the holes through from a window, this would be a viable way to treat. Just be sure to let the holes stay open for 24 hours before corking them and you’ll have it done properly.

Lastly, you might want to consider getting a Dustick. This device will let you reach up 20-25 feet no problem to dust with the Demise and if you have holes anywhere else around the home, it would more than pay for itself over time by allowing you to dust without undue risk or hazard.

Dustick:  https://bugspray.com/equipment/dusters/dustick

how to treat bees under deck

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I have bees under my deck. I can’t get to the holes so what do you suggest I do? Is there something I can spray or a container I can put out to trap them? I’m desperate, they’re driving me crazy and scaring my grandkids. Thank you, Barbara.

As our carpenter bee article explains, you need to dust bee holes with Demise Dust to effectively shut down their nests.

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

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

Carpenter Bee Control: www.carpenterbees.com/carpenter-bee-control.html

But if you have a situation where the bees are passing through cracks of decking and going underneath to an area you cannot access, there is a spray that can be used to spot treat the spaces in the decking where they’re active and traversing.

Known as Optigard, this liquid is a slow working, undetectable chemical that bees won’t notice. Basically you’ll spray it on the decking where you see the bees passing through the gaps in the planks. Next, you’ll avoid the areas so the bees are not frightened away and allowed to continue using the area like they’re doing now.

Over a period of several days, they’ll slowly pick up small amounts of the Optigard as they fly through the gaps in the planking. This eventually will take it’s toll and kill them.

Optigard:  https://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/optigard-flex-liquid-8-oz

It’s important to understand the process will take 4-7 days so you must remain patient. And it’s also important to understand this treatment will only work on bees that pass through the slots you spray. So if a week later you’re still seeing bees active, retreat.

Depending on how many bees are actively passing through the decking, it could take 1/2 to 1 gallon of mixed material to get the entire area treated.

Now since you wont’ be treating the nests directly, any eggs already laid in the established nests will surely live and prosper as summer goes one. My guess is any eggs will hatch later in the summer and eventually show up at some point. So when this happens, you’ll need to renew the Phantom application being sure to treat each area where new bees or wasps are active.

Lastly, this method will not work with 99.9% of the commonly found over the counter sprays found on the market. This is because bees are able to detect these other active ingredients and after they detect them, they’ll avoid the area you sprayed. This in turn will force them to start using another area to get to their nests and in the end, the bees will continue to live and thrive and will not go away.

But Optigard is able to handle this type of problem because of it’s unique quality that doesn’t repel insects making it the product of choice for problems like you now have.

Give us a call if you still have questions.

Technical Support
1-800-877-7290

huge carpenter bee issue

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We have a huge carpenter bee issue at home. They love our wood deck, cedar trim, and composite siding. I cannot go outside with my kids to play (2 & 1 yr) because they attack us. We paid someone to treat them last year and they are back. If we use your products and ARE able to rid them from our house, how do we keep them from coming back since our neighbors and neighborhood is infested with them?? They are everywhere!!!!! Evening walking down the side walk, they will chase you. I get attacked everyday I try to get our mail (from our wooden mailbox). I am so frustrated!!!

First, I suggest you read our online article about this pest to learn more about how they behave, how they develop, why they’re an issue around the house, etc. One of the main things you’ll learn in the article is that the “aggressive” bee you’re seeing is in fact a male which ironically, can’t sting. Only females can sting and they have no interest in people and typically avoid them. In other words, you don’t have anything to fear from the ones that are “buzzing” you when you go outside.

Second, also in our article you’ll learn that once nests are treated with Demise, spraying Maxxthor and/or NBS around the property will help keep them away from areas where they want to nest, etc. And this is how you stop them from being on your property regardless of what’s going on in the rest of the neighborhood.

So if you treat any existing nests you see now using Demise and then get on a regular routine of spraying the side of your home on  regular basis (as well as any vegetation where they’re being seen), you should be able to keep them away. This in turn will eliminate most if not all of their annoyances as well as any damaging nests.

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

Hand 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

Carpenter Bee Control: www.carpenterbees.com

Give us a call if you still have questions.

Technical Support
1-800-877-7290