Carpenter Bee Season in the SE

[HawkinsHollow]

It is that time of the year again, carpenter bees coming to get your wood structures. I had pretty bad issues over the years with the beasts.

Last year I started a program to eradicate these pests and keep them from eating my structures. I used a combination of a spray to treat the wood in the worst hit spots and a powder to dose their holes. I felt pretty good about it last year. After the first treatment I noticed CONSIDERABLY less bee activity.

Year 2 is starting out as I had expected. Some are coming back, but not in the numbers of last year. So I will make the same treatments as last year where needed and repeat.

Carpenter bees are pretty predictable, they are not hiding as they eat your house, their big fat bodies are buzzing around letting you know exactly where they are doing their damage. For this system to work one must be vigilant. Look for them, observe where they are doing their damage and then pounce.

Good luck, stay strong and you too can beat the bees!

 

[bdhsfz6]

I've had good luck with these traps:

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/macs-carpenter-bee-trap-set-of-2-plbt100-1548214?cid=Search-Google-TSC_DYN-Dynamic%20All%20Site-All%20Site%20TSC&utm_medium=Google&utm_source=Search&utm_campaign=TSC_DYN&utm_content=Dynamic%20All%20Site&utm_term=All%20Site%20TSC&gclid=CjwKCAjwsJ6TBhAIEiwAfl4TWK-EXnN37hlpRiUeYHv9CtG6xI-EjrIUKrxgOKh572ENujty9WHRHRoCszYQAvD_BwE

They work best if a dead carpenter bee is used for bait.

 

[Have tractor did travel]

Hawkins - Thou doth tease us by only half revealing your magic. A spray and a powder? Whatever can be their contents ?

This year I'm using
https://www.amazon.com/RESCUE-Traps...arpenter+bee+trap+for+outside,aps,566&sr=8-10

The sound of the bees crying to be released satisfies my urge for retribution for their eating my wood structures. I've heard that when the occasional bird gets caught, that it is traumatic to witness.

 

[sea2summit]

I tried many methods, so far the best I’ve found is a $0.50 bounty and children with BB guns. Third year of this method and there is a dramatic reduction in the number of carpenter bees around, and shockingly it’s cheaper per year than the “exterminator” who as far as I can tell had no affect.

 

[riptides]

Household products.

 

[JJT]

I've had great success with

FenvaStar EcoCap.​

I tried the bee traps, they catch a couple. The tennis racket gets more than the traps.

I treat with

FenvaStar EcoCap twice a year, once in the spring and then early fall.​

 

[HawkinsHollow]

The dust is called delta dust and I have a little puffer that allows me to put it JUST in their evil little hole. When they go in the hole they get their deadly dose.

The spray is called Cyzmic cs and I am not super certain it is nearly as effective. I only apply it to the areas I see them buzzing around. I am not spraying every wooden structure I own. This is where the vigilance comes in.

Never had much luck with the traps.

 

[gstrom99]

I've had my share of trouble with them buggers. There are many kits out there, like these; Carpenter Bee Control Kit

They work good, but it's an uphill battle.

 

[SgtSluggo]

If you want to try something else, sometimes providing them a carpenter bee house a bit away from yours can discourage them from bothering your buildings.

 

[s219]

We had a couple early warm days in March and they were active in an area I don't normally frequent on the far side of our house. I was able to treat two holes with my duster and Drione powder. 8-10 bees (I lost count) came staggering out of each hole, which was amazing. I knew they would make some big galleries but did not expect that many. Normally I only see 2-3 per hole.

Now that it's warmed up for real, I see quite a few buzzing around. Killed a couple the other day with my hat and a stomp. Need to spend a couple hours walking around my home and barns to look for new holes and give them a dusting.