Carpenter Bee Control

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

sealing carpenter bee holes with caulking

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THANK YOU for the great info on these cute but annoying creatures who have infested my porch beams…..will spraying insulating foam sealant into the holes do the job of caulking or corks? If so, that would sort of reinforce the holes as well as trap the bees after spraying.  What should I do about the holes the bee has already sealed?  I assume the wasps loitering around are trying to get to the newly laid eggs at this time of the year and are establishing nests to be near to take advantage of the hatching bees in the fall.

Carpenter bee holes should be sealed with a CORKS or wood dowel and not caulking or expanding foam. The key is using something that seals the hole tight but keeps all the space inside open. This will allow hatching larvae to move about when they come out of their pupae casings. By having access to the entire egg chamber they’ll crawl through the DEMISE DUST and effectively pick up a lethal dose. If you used silicone caulking or expanding foam, they won’t be able to move over the treatment and the net result would be they’ll be forced to drill a new exit hole effectively missing the dust altogether. We see this happen many times when people hire painters or some other exterior finishing company who thinks they’re doing right by sealing the holes. But in the end, this will actually cause more of a problem.

I’m not sure about the “holes that are sealed”; carpenter bees will lay eggs and seal them up with food but again, if the voids of the main nest are left open, the treatment with DEMISE or PYGANIC will get them when they hatch since either dust lasts a long time (which is why it’s the only dust to use for this treatment 🙂

Also, I’m not sure about any wasps that might be hanging around either except that they might be looking to start their own nest like they are here at my house. But if you use the some of the Demise applied to cracks and crevices and then spray with the MAXXTHOR EC discussed in our WASP CONTROL article, you should be able to keep them away too. Lastly, I don’t know of any wasps that feed on carpenter bees and even if they did, it will be a long time before the eggs will be hatching so they’re in for a long wait if that’s why  they’re hanging around. My guess is they’re really just looking to make new nests in the same area and are a separate problem altogether.

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

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

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

Pyganic Dust: bugspray.com/exempt/dust/pest-xempt-dust

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

Wasp Control:  https://bugspray.com/article/wasp.html

Give us a call if you still have questions.

Technical Support
1-800-877-7290

bee protection needed for treatment

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I’m going to be doing some treating with drione for carpenter bees and I’m wondering if I need a bee hat or veil or some kind of protection?

Generally speaking, you won’t need any special protective bee equipment when treating for carpenter bees. As our Carpenter Bee article explains, the Male bees don’t have stingers and females generally are not agressive. When treatments are done late in the day, around dusk, or early in the morning, we have not heard of anyone having problems. That being said, we do have Bee Suits, Bee Veils and Bee Hats available if you feel such protection would be desired.

bees living in porch

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Hello,
Last year some bees made my porch their home. I googled “carpenter bees”. The pics i saw were of small carpenter bees. When i saw your video, i said to myself, those are the bees living in my porch. They are about an inch long, is that normal ? Some are black in color, with either yellow or white on their backs. My wife wants them gone, and the kids don’t want to go on the porch. Can you please send me the safest way to get rid of them for good.
Also, what can i do for wasp’s living near the porch as well ? They have made a nest by the window frame, they don’t bother me as much; though i want them gone too.
Any info will help alot. Thank You.

There are many species of wood boring bees (carpenter bees) and the ones you describe are definitely “normal”. The best way to treat these bees is with the Demise Dust listed in our Carpenterbee Control article. Plug the holes using the Corks and then spray with Maxxthor to prevent new nests. You’ll need a good Pump Sprayer for the treatment.

The good news is that these same two products will work quite well for wasps. If the wasp nest is directly accessible, treat it with some of the Maxxthor and you’ll be able to kill it on contact and prevent them from forming new nests with a good spraying. If the nest is somewhere behind the siding or other inaccessible space, treat the entry points with the Demise.

When clicking on the above listed products you will see we have links to organic or “alternative” products which are quite effective too. These other options won’t last as long as the Demise and Maxxthor but they are made from plant extracts and have proven to work. If safety is your utmost concern, these options will provide relief and can be used with confidence. In place of the Maxxthor, use the ECO IC. In place of the Demise, go with the ECO Exempt Dust.

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

Solo 454 Sprayer: bugspray.com/equipment/sprayers/eliminator-gallon-sprayer

ECO IC: bugspray.com/exempt/liquid/pest-xempt-concentrate

ECO Dust: https://bugspray.com/exempt/dust/pest-xempt-dust

Give us a call if you still have questions.

Technical Support
1-800-877-7290

carpenter bee and wasp help

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I have looked at your website and your products but I need some help before I perhaps place an order.  I have a log home and I am being consumed by carpenter bees and wasps.  Do you have a product that will eliminate both or control both?  If yes, what is the best for me to use?  The carpenter bees seem to be mostly under the soffit but that are flying everywhere.  The wasps are a major problem.  They seem to be in the crown of the house, but I cannot visibly see their nest. Thank you for any and all help.

Carpenter bees and wasps will commonly infest the same area of most any home. Log homes are ever more susceptible to these pests. The good news is that both can be controlled with the same products.

If you take some time to review our Wasp Control and Carpenter Bee Control articles, you’ll see both detail using Demise Dust. Apply this to the siding, soffits and any place where you see either pest. It will not only kill those that are nesting but it will keep them away for extended periods of time. Based on where you mentioned you’re seeing the activity, the use of a Dustick may be needed. Remember, log homes should be treated every spring and fall with the Demise to keep out all unwanted pests and a good dust applicator will last many years.

For extra protection, spray the siding with Maxxthor. Both wasps and bees don’t like this material and will avoid treated surfaces. Use a good Pump Sprayer for the treatment and you should only have to do this 1-2 in the spring and then again in the fall to keep matters under control.

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

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

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

Eliminator Pump Sprayer: www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/sprayers/eliminator-gallon-sprayer

Give us a call if you still have questions.

Technical Support
1-800-877-7290

carpenter bee chasing me around!

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We have a carpenter bee flying around out in the back yard by some flowers and it keeps chasing us around. Will it sting us?

You’re probably seeing a male carpenter bee. Males hang around in the spring looking for females who are foraging for food and a good nest site. Male carpenter bees cannot sting so if it’s one you’re seeing, there isn’t any real danger. You can tell a male carpenter bee because they will have a yellow face.

Carpenter Bee – Male verses Female (Left image is male; right image is female)

Other differences are listed in our Carpenter Bee Control Article.

I suggest you do a thorough inspection around the property to see if you have any females nesting or attempting to make a nest. Females will drill holes in wood where they will lay eggs and live. These holes can do quite a bit of damage so be on the look out for any that might be happening to something of value. If you find some nests, treat as we explain in our carpenter bee article to keep the damage minimized.