Carpenter Bee Control

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

killing carpenter bees with honey bees nearby

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My husband is a beekeeper with hives of honey bees in our urban back yard. Our garden shed is about 20 feet from the hive stand and the carpenter bees have assaulted the eaves of the shed for several years with more vigor each year. I’ve recently added a cedar trellis (painted) and repainted the shed trim, but am uncertain about using any form of dust to treat the carpenter bees. Honey bees are in full action mode as honey flow began. But we have always taken care to keep dust (Sevin, etc) out of the property because honey bees often confuse it with pollen and it can wipe out a hive. What would you recommend in this situation?

If you review our CARPENTER BEE CONTROL article, you’ll learn that the DEMISE DUST listed needs to be applied directly to their nests and then the nests need to be corked. This means there will be no dust visible or out in the open. And without any dust out in the open, there is no danger or hazard to your honey bees or any other insect for that matter.

In our article you’ll also learn of a product called NBS PAINT ADDITIVE. This is an organic product that can be added to paint or stain and in doing so, provides a “natural repellent odor” that insects hate. Had you added to this to your paint prior to applying it you would have been able to enjoy a good year or two of repellent action without having to spray anything. I strongly suggest you include NBS next time you paint any exposed wood on the outside of your home as this will help to stop anything that would want to target or nest on the painted surface.

Lastly, the NBS is also what I’d recommend you apply to any wood you want to protect now since it can be mixed with water and sprayed. Since it can’t “kill” anything, NBS won’t pose a hazard or threat to your bees either. Made from essential plant oil, NBS will do nothing more than minimize insects landing on surfaces where it gets applied.

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

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

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

do carpenter bees nest in the ground?

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Do carpenter bees nest in the ground? In plant beds?

Generally speaking no. If you read our CARPENTER BEE CONTROL ARTICLE, you’ll learn they mostly target overhangs, wood fences, decks, gazebos and any kind of wood that is above ground with a protected underside. Nesting in the ground would go directly against this common trait though I have seen it happen.

In the few times where I’ve seen it happen, they targeted a stump that was quite large and distorted. It had knobs sticking out under which the bees were able to nest so even though they were at ground level, they were still “in wood” and very much protected when compared to a typical ground nest that’s lying under pine straw or wood mulch. That being said, they didn’t seem to mind when it rained so I guess they were safe enough to survive the environment which many times is a problem when nests are in the ground.

Now if you’re seeing what appears to be carpenter bees and the activity is in the ground, I’m thinking what you’re looking at is most likely a BUMBLEBEE. Read up on them if you’re trying to figure out what species of bee you’re seeing.

Carpenter Bee Control: www.carpenterbees.com

Bumblebee Control:  https://www.bugspray.com/articles99/bumblebees.html

Give us a call if you still have questions.

Technical Support
1-800-877-7290

carpenter bees and ants

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We bought a house last summer and we found that we have carpenter bees in the gazebo (we have not found any holes in the deck itself). Most of the holes were plugged with metal bolts. Nothing was sprayed inside the holes. We plan on buying some DEMISE DUST and the CRUSADER HAND DUSTER. Should we unscrew the bolts and spray or leave as is? We want to repaint the deck and gazebo too and add the additive mentioned on this site.

It also appears we have some carpenter ants. It doesn’t look as if it’s a huge problem as only a small amount of ants have been found in the house. They are usually curled up and dead or dying so we do not know if anything was sprayed by the previous owner. No wood shavings have been detected anywhere. Would it be best to call someone like Terminex to check the house and outside for carpenter ants?

Regarding the carpenter bees; no doubt treating every hole you find with DEMISE and sealing the holes with a CORK would be best. Next, using some NBS additive to any paint or stain you apply would be smart. Once these treatments are done, you can monitor the situation and see if anything further is needed but this should do the job.

As for the CARPENTER ANTS you’re seeing; I would say to start small before paying $500-$1000 for a service (sometimes even more!). Based on what you’re finding, it’s quite possible there is a nest somewhere on the property. But with our technical support and product line, I’m sure you can solve any problem and would suggest hiring a service only after you’ve tried some treatments and failed.

For now I recommend doing a good inspection to see if you can find any place where they’re active outside. This would be key if they’re just foraging into the home; as you’ll learn in our article about this ant they will commonly travel over 100 yards to find food so finding them inside does not mean there is a nest close by. And since outside nests are easy to deal with using some of the Demise you’ll be using for the Carpenter Bees, the treatment may turn out to be very simple. So for now, I suggest you read our article and do some inspecting to see if you can locate a nest either on or outside the home.

But if it turns out you only see one or two carpenter ants inside or outside the home, I would say to apply some TERMIDOR around the home outside and some PHANTOM inside. These will be detailed in our article and as you’ll learn, they’ll get the nest no matter where it might be and really is the best approach when the nest is hidden and unknown location wise.

Good luck!

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

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

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

Termidor: www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/termidor-sc-20-oz

Phantom: www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/pt-phantom-17-5oz

Carpenter Ants:  https://www.carpenterants.com/carpenter-ant-control

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

Give us a call if you still have questions.

Technical Support
1-800-877-7290

carpenter bees around dog house

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I need help. I have about 6 to 7 carpenter bees that hover and fly around my dog’s house as well as bore holes. The house has been painted. Is there any kind of natural spray or repellant that I can use that will work on them? I don’t want to use chemicals and cause my dog to get sick. Thanks.

In fact all of the products we have listed in our CARPENTER BEE CONTROL ARTICLE can be used safely around pets. The key is to apply the products when the pet is not around and second, to let the treatments settle (dry) before bringing it back to the house. When done right, the only spray should be on the outside of the house which means your pet would not come in contact (unless he is climbing on the house) or otherwise get an exposure. Let’s take a closer look at each product you’d need.

First, for any holes you find, when treating with the DEMISE DUST we have listed in our article you’ll learn that the treatment would be where the pet could not access it so no exposure could happen here.

Second, to repel them, spraying the wood of the house with MAXXTHOR EC would be the strongest option and as stated above, could be done safely as long as the pet is kept away till the treatment dries.

But if you want something less strong and less “hazardous”, go with XEMPT C. In fact this can be sprayed directly on dogs for biting flies, fleas, ticks and other pests so it would be very safe for him to be around where it’s been sprayed because it’s the one spray that can be sprayed directly on him so coming in contact with treated surfaces wouldn’t be a major problem.

Lastly, the only organic option we know of is the NBS. This won’t last as long as the other two options but if you want something “natural”, the NBS is the only solution.

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

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

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

Xempt C:   bugspray.com/exempt/liquid/pest-xempt-concentrate

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

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

Give us a call if you still have questions.

Technical Support
1-800-877-7290

best time to seal carpenter bee holes

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1. When is best time to cork hole after treatment of nest? The video on website says after a few minutes; another place on your website says wait 2 days.

2. Any danger if I inhale DEMISE DUST while treating? Should I wear a mask?

Sorry for the confusion but here’s a brief explanation.

Lets say you treat the holes early evening just as it’s getting dark. After dusting with DEMISE, you hear a lot of buzzing and during the next few minutes see 2-3 bees fall out of the hole you dusted and die. At that point you could seal up the holes with one of our CORKS.

But lets say you dust holes in the middle of the day and don’t hear or see anything during or for 5 minutes after the treatment. For these holes, you’d want to leave the hole open for 1-2 days. This will insure anything using it will enter and die.

As for protection; any time you use a dust it’s generally recommended that you wear a DUST MASK if working in a confined area. With carpenter bees, you’re mostly outside but if you’re in a compromised position, using a dust mask or respirator will make it easier to go about the treatment without being distracted in case you do breath some.

Now if you did breathe some, expect to cough like one would expect to happen if they were to breath a lot of dust. But only if you were using the product for many years during which time you were also breathing it over and over would it pose a hazard. So the occasional times you might be using and breathing a little won’t be a problem but should be avoided if possible. And the dust mask will do the job for sure but if you only have a respirator, it will work fine too.

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

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

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

Dust Mask: https://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/safety/dust-mask-50pk

Give us a call if you still have questions.

Technical Support
1-800-877-7290