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How to get rid of carpenter bumble bees


How To Get Rid Of Carpenter Bees

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If you currently have a carpenter bee infestation, the time to treat is today. Follow these guidelines to Get Rid of Carpenter Bees safely.

Carpenter bees are a beneficial insect but they are also destructive to wooden structures. Female Carpenter Bees drill holes into any wooden structure they can find in order to lay their eggs. This article details the best ways to identify carpenter bees, prevent infestations, and stop them from doing further damage to your home.

How To Identify A Carpenter Bee

Carpenter Bees look similar to Bumble Bees - large, with yellow and black patterns.

They are about 1/2 to 1 inch and may have some metallic reflections ranging from dark blue, yellow, green, or purple tints. Their abdomens are bare and shiny, compared to the Bumble Bee. Bumble Bees are not a wood boring insect. You’re more likely to find them sitting on flowers in the yard. They are highly beneficial and we suggest leaving them to tend to pollination.

Carpenter Bees are commonly found in the spring. They hover around eaves, porch rails, and under decks and any other unpainted wood around your home. Sometimes carpenter bees are called "wood bees" because they bore into wood.

For More Information:

Difference Between Carpenter Bees and Bumble Bees

Carpenter Bee vs. Bumble Bee

Signs of Carpenter Bee Infestations

Carpenter Bees make holes about 1/2 inch in diameter. They prefer unfinished wood, but are capable of drilling and creating tunnels in seasoned hardwoods, softwoods, and decaying woods. Frass is the result of already damaged wood. It looks like sawdust around the drilling areas.

Female carpenter bees bore channels (also known as a main corridor in wood). The damaged area will be 6" to as long as 4 feet wide. The female lays her eggs in areas called "galleries" or "cells". She deposits eggs into these galleries and brings feeds them with a mass of pollen for the newly larvae to feed. She then seals them off to ensure their development before she repeats the next egg process. This is one of the reasons it can be so hard to get rid of carpenter bees.

For More Information:

Carpenter Bee Signs/Identification

Carpenter Bee Frass

How To Get Rid Of Carpenter Bees (3 Steps)

1. Spray A Residual Insecticide to Kill Carpenter Bees

If you have an active infestation, spray the areas where carpenter bees are boring into wood with:

Their holes are usually located on the underside of wood surfaces, We recommend spraying twice during the spring months at intervals of 3-4 weeks to most efficiently prevent carpenter bee damage.

When protected from the elements like rain, residual insecticides will last 2 to 3 months. If applied in late winter, the treatment will stay active through most of the carpenter bee season.

Severe Infestations

You may need to repeat carpenter bee treatments more than twice during the spring. We suggest an interval of two weeks for spray treatments. After each spray treatment, apply D-Fense Dust or Tempo Dust to all possible carpenter bee nests, holes or entry points.

2. Use Dust In Carpenter Bee Nests

To get rid of an active Carpenter Bee infestation, apply Tempo Dust in every carpenter bee hole that you find. Use a recommended duster such as the JT Eaton Hand Bellow Duster

Although the initial damage to wood appears as a small hole, only an inch or two deep, it usually extends at a 90-degree angle. The female will turn 90 degrees and bore a channel from 6 inches to as long as 4 feet. This channel serves as the main corridor from which she will drill small chambers. These chambers serve as egg nests. She deposits eggs. Brings in food, and then seals off the area to ensure the egg's development.

Carpenter Bee entering hole

3. Plug Carpenter Bee Holes

Carpenter Bee Holes

(Optional Step)- A Non-Chemical Natural Approach

Carpenter Bee Traps and Natural Repellent

For those considering a non-chemical approach to carpenter bee control, we recommend carpenter bee traps such as, Best Bee Trap or Citrus Carpenter Bee Repellent

Carpenter bee traps are designed to attract and trap the bees. If you have an existing infestation, hang the trap directly over the carpenter bee holes. If you do not have a current infestation, hang the traps at the peaks and corners of your home, preferably on the sunniest side of your house.

How To Prevent Carpenter Bee Infestations

Successfully preventing carpenter bees is determined by the time of year. You can prevent carpenter bee infestations if you tackle the situation early in the season.

Key Takeaway

Prevent holes by spraying insecticide concentrates. Treat existing holes with insecticide dusts.

Residual Insecticides (For Active Infestations Or Prevention)

These residual insecticides will make several gallons of finished product and can also be used to treat a broad variety of insects. Apply them for carpenter bee prevention, or if you have an active infestation.

Bee Traps and Natural Solutions

Carpenter Bee Traps offer an addition to your carpenter bee treatment or a stand-alone natural treatment method.

Citrus Spray Carpenter Bee Repellent is a natural repellent against carpenter bees.

Carpenter Bee Kits (Combines residual insecticides and Dusts)

Written by our resident pest control expert Ken Martin.

How To Discourage Woodpeckers

Key Takeaway

Woodpeckers may peck into carpenter bee tunnels in the wood trying to eat the bee larvae. Spray a residual insecticide into the carpenter bee holes and on the wood in the spring. This will discourage the carpenter bees from attacking the wood. This, in turn, will discourage woodpeckers.

Written by our resident pest control expert Ken Martin.

How to get rid of carpenter bees

(Image credit: Diane Helentjaris/Unsplash)

Carpenter bees can damage wooden structures, which is why you need to look out for them, and discourage them from these parts of your home. 

Part of the Xylocopa genus of the Apidae, or bee family, carpenter bees are common in the USA, and while they are important pollinators of many flowering plants, can damage additions, sheds, pergolas and much more. 

Unlike with getting rid of wasps, where you may seek to kill them if you have a real problem, it is far better to deter carpenter bees in the first place – they are only seen as pests because of the damage they can do to buildings.

How to get rid of carpenter bees

There are many ways to get rid of carpenter bees, from doing so without killing them to using spray and even vinegar. These are the most effective ways of tackling them.

How to get rid of carpenter bees without killing them

To get rid of carpenter bees without killing them, it’s best to try natural methods – any treatment that can harm the environment, and in particular useful pollinators, is best avoided. If you’re carrying out any anti-bee treatments, do so at dusk to avoid the bees. 

To make wooden structures much less appealing to carpenter bees, it's vital to varnish or paint them – carpenter bees love untreated ior unstained wood, but hate wood that has been treated. This is an easy fix and will protect wood structures from the weather, too.

Discourage carpenter bees with insecticide

Of course, you can kill carpenter bees with insecticide but that should only be done in desperate circumstances because, as we say, these are important pollinators. It is far better to prevent them boring into wood in the first place. If you are not looking for a natural solution, which is our preferred option, spraying an insecticide on to the wood where carpenter bees will or have in the past gathered before they arrive will deter them. This should be done in late winter, since carpenter bees tend to arrive in spring. 

How to get rid of carpenter bees with spray

You can use carpenter bee spray to get deter them. For a natural solution that deters rather than kills them – our preferred route – use citrus scents, which they dislike to get rid of them.

To make your own, boil up citrus fruit rinds in water, or add some drops of citrus oil to water, and spray around the tell-tale holes. Alternatively, try a few drops of almond oil. If you’re worried about the solution marking the wood, try it out in an inconspicuous area first.

If you need a last resort, you can use a chemical carpenter bee spray, though be aware that insecticides are hazardous to children and pets so keep them in the house while you work, and put on protective clothing.  

Use carpenter bee spray with care, to avoid harming other friendly creatures and insects around the garden. Specialist insecticides designed for carpenter bees can be sprayed around and into their holes. Try a foaming aerosol to get right into the tunnels the bees create, or use an insecticidal liquid in a trigger spray. Alternatively, an insecticidal dust can be puffed into the holes. 

You might need to make repeat applications, starting from early spring. Once the bees have died, seal up the holes to prevent them being used by new bees. Lengths of wooden dowelling or caulk can be used to plug the holes. 

Worried about getting too close to carpenter bees? We would always advise calling in a professional firm to do the job for you.

How to get rid of carpenter bees with sound

It’s said that carpenter bees are affected by sound, so by turning up the volume to teenager-level close to the carpenter bees’ home, the vibrations might encourage them to move out.  

Do explain to your neighbors before blasting them with noise for a couple of days.

Another option is to try wind chimes, which may be enough to deter them from settling.

Can I use a carpenter bee trap?

You certainly can use a carpenter bee trap. The bees fly in but they can’t escape. Choose one that’s designed specifically for carpenter bees. Hang the trap close to the affected wood. You can also make your own bee trap, constructing a wooden box with angled holes for the bee to enter, with a plastic jar fixed to the bottom – the bees get in, head towards the light but can’t get out.

How to get rid of carpenter bees with vinegar

To get rid of carpenter bees with vinegar, mix up a strong solution of vinegar and water and spray it directly into the bees' holes. This will kill carpenter bee larvae, so  if you are looking to deter them rather than kill them, you might want to look to more bee-friendly options.

How to kill carpenter bees with WD40

You can use WD40 to get rid of carpenter bees – spray it into their nest and they will die or flee quickly. However, this is another method of getting rid of carpenter bees that isn't friendly, is risky to carry out – and we would advise calling in the professionals if you have a real problem rather than tackling it yourself.

What do carpenter bees hate most?

Bees really hate the scent of citrus oil, but they also avoid wood that's been treated, and dislike jarring noise.

How do I recognize carpenter bees?

Unlike honeybees or bumblebees, carpenter bees don’t live in colonies, preferring to excavate a tunnel to lay their eggs. Take a closer look at wooden structures around the yard. 

Carpenter bees like to bore their way into wood – especially sheds, pergolas, posts, porches, window trim and even the eaves of the house. Once they’ve bored a smooth, round hole, about ½ in (1.5cm) in diameter, they make a right-angled turn to construct a burrow, hidden from sight, creating cells for individual eggs.

Carpenter bees differ from the honey bees and bumblebees that we usually spot flitting from plant to plant, collecting pollen. They are much larger and instead of the furry yellow and black stripes, their abdomens are black and shiny. The males don’t sting though they can fly too close for comfort if they feel you’re on their territory. But bother a female carpenter bee at your peril, as they can sting.

How can I spot carpenter bee damage?

To spot carpenter bee damage, take a closer look at wooden structures around the yard. Carpenter bees like to bore their way into wood – especially sheds, pergolas, posts, porches, window trim and even the eaves of the house. 

You might spot sawdust by the holes where a bee has been boring. Older holes can also be enlarged or reused by the bees. Adult bees can overwinter in the tunnels, emerging in spring to mate. Over time, the damage can result in decay, moisture retention and rot.

Lucy Searle has written about interiors, property and gardens since 1990, working her way around the interiors departments of women's magazines before switching to interiors-only titles in the mid-nineties. She was Associate Editor on Ideal Home, and Launch Editor of 4Homes magazine, before moving into digital in 2007, launching Channel 4's flagship website, Channel4.com/4homes. In 2018, Lucy took on the role of Global Editor in Chief for Realhomes.com, taking the site from a small magazine add-on to a global success. She was asked to repeat that success at Homes & Gardens, where she has also taken on the editorship of the magazine. 

Carpenter bees - what are dangerous and how to get rid of them? Photo — Botanichka

Once at an old dacha we noticed some interesting "neighbors". These were unusual dark-colored insects, similar either to large flies, or to bees, or to bumblebees. And they lived directly inside the canvas of the front door to the house. The door was old, it had several holes of incomprehensible origin, from which these insects periodically flew out and flew in. They've obviously set up accommodation there! I don’t know what damage was done to the country door, which already required replacement, but, as we later found out, such tenants can cause significant damage to new buildings. What are these insects and how to deal with them, I will tell in this article.

Carpenter bees - why are they dangerous and how to get rid of them? © Elena Kreuzberg

Features of carpenter bees

Carpenter bees ( Xylocopa valga ) live on all continents except Antarctica. They have a body length of 12 to 25 mm. The color is black, greenish-black, dark blue with a metallic sheen or purple tint. The wings of these insects are black with a blue-violet sheen. Antennae black above, reddish below. There are yellow areas on the head near the eyes, and yellowish hairs are also present on the legs, chest and abdomen (but not as bright or numerous as in bumblebees).

Carpenter bees have a large, dense build and are sometimes confused with bumblebees. To unmistakably identify such a bee, look at the upper abdomen of the insect. While the abdomen of a bumblebee is densely covered with hairs, the upper abdomen of the carpenter bee will be hairless, black, and shiny.

These bees are solitary, they "dig" tunnels in wood to make their home, especially preferring the bare and weathered surface of the tree. They gnaw their passages with their jaws, and the length of the passages is from 30 cm to 1.5 m, the entrance diameter is from 0.7 mm to 1 cm. It is important to note that carpenter bees do not feed on wood throughout their entire life cycle, and sawdust thrown out by insects.

Each larva is in an individual cell located inside such a passage. Although these bees do not form a swarm, several females can live together in the same nest, with one female breeding while the others guard the brood. Bees often block the entrance to the nest with their own abdomen.

Males and females overwinter in nesting passages. When it gets warm enough in spring, the adults emerge from the nests and mate. The males die shortly after mating, and the females begin to dig new tunnels or expand old buildings. Carpenter bees, like honey bees, feed on pollen and nectar. Females provide their larvae with food by placing balls of pollen and bee bread in the cell in advance, after which the bee lays eggs in each chamber and soon dies.

The offspring of the eggs hatch after a few days, and the young larvae begin to feed on the food left for them by the mother. Within five to seven weeks (depending on the temperature conditions of the environment), the bee pupates and reaches an adult state. A new generation of carpenter bees emerge in late summer to feed on nectar before preparing for winter. The life span of a carpenter bee does not exceed one year.

These insects, like common bees, are good pollinators, but only for flowers with an open corolla. But plants with deeper nectar are a problem for them, and insects treat them “barbarically”. To get to the sweet nectar, the carpenter bees cut the side of the flower, penetrate into the center, and deprive the flower of its juice without providing any pollination services in return, since they do not come into contact with the anthers.

In order to collect pollen grains for food for larvae, carpenter bees practice a very interesting technique called “buzz pollination”. It looks like this: when a bee lands on a flower, it uses its pectoral muscles to create vibrating sound waves that shake the pollen off the anthers.

Carpenter bee or wood borer bee (Xylocopa valga). © Vlad Proklov

Why are carpenter bees dangerous?

Carpenter bees can be a real nuisance for summer residents and owners of country houses. They often build nests close to humans: in front doors, decking, porches, cornices, stair railings, garden furniture, wooden fence posts, and other similar structures. Every year they cause massive damage to the tree by tunneling in various designs.

Carpenter bees are certainly not termites or carpenter beetles, they do not feed on wood, and their nest tunnels are limited in size. However, after a few years, the damage to the wood can become quite significant as the bees widen old tunnels and "dig" new ones. If carpenter bees are allowed to tunnel through a wooden structure year after year, the cumulative damage can be significant.

In addition, they also spoil the appearance of wooden structures, leave stains with their feces. Since such bees are used to recovering at the entrance to their dwelling, yellow spots can be seen on the surface of the tree, just below the entrance to the nest.

These insects can also be aggressive, especially during the mating season, which occurs in April-May. At this time, male carpenter bees usually fly around the nest holes in search of females. During such a period, aggressive insects may well fly very close to people and animals, even deliberately crash into them and dive overhead.

It is the males who show the greatest aggressiveness, but they are not able to bite, since they do not have a stinger. But females can already sting, but only if they are seriously provoked. In particular, don't swing your arms too much, catch bees or press them hard, it's better to just ignore their buzzing and aggressive flights over your head.

Read also our article How black wasps helped us in the fight against pest larvae.

Bee trap

How to get rid of carpenter bees?

The best defense against carpenter bees is, as in many cases, preventing them from attacking. These insects prefer to damage woods such as pine, fir, cypress, oak, and mahogany, especially if the wood is not barked, stained, or treated.

Sometimes bees also colonize painted wood, especially if the paintwork is old and peeling. Therefore, you can prevent carpenter bees from nesting in the first place by painting the exterior of the house or other woodwork, or by resurfacing an old coat of paint. A fresh coat of paint or varnish is unattractive to the carpenter bee.

Close as many cracks in the wood as possible. Carpenter bees look for cracks that will make their entrances less visible to woodpeckers, so they prefer to populate such wood. Therefore, as soon as the installation of the structure is completed, be sure to seal all cracks and crevices.

If carpenter bees have already inhabited your wooden structures, it is better to try to simply expel insects without destroying them, since in Russia and Ukraine these insects are listed in the Red Book.

You can suspect that you have such unusual neighbors by the following signs:

Read also our article Firefighter beetles - how useful for the garden and can they harm?

Bees really dislike vibration and loud noises near their home. Therefore, in order for the bee to leave its nest, it is recommended to periodically turn on the perforator, or listen to loud music with low bass. It is believed that after some time (on average, after 2-3 days) the bees should leave their nest in search of a quieter place.

Another way is to watch the nest and close up all the entrances and exits to the burrows when the occupants leave them. As soon as you see that the bees have flown outside in the spring, seal the holes for the nests with putty. You can also putty the nest entrances in the fall, after the next generation of carpenter bees have hatched. Before puttying, it is recommended to spray inside a spray with citrus essential oil diluted with water, and also put a piece of a steel mesh sponge into the hole. Holes can also be covered with sealant or putty.

You can also make a bee trap that mimics a natural carpenter bee nest with angled entry holes. Inside, it has the shape of a funnel (for example, you can insert a cut off top from a plastic bottle). A bee, climbing into a hole, falls into a wooden chamber, after which it falls into a funnel from a bottle, which leads it into a container of water (bottom of the cut bottle). You can also add soapy water to the water to make it harder for the insect to get out. Once the carpenter bees start filling the trap, their pheromones will begin to attract other carpenter bees.

Where is the best place to place such a trap? If your wooden structures are already infested with carpenter bees, place the traps where there is a particular activity of insects, and in particular, right above the existing holes. If carpenter bees have not yet chosen your property, but you are afraid of their appearance, set traps in the corners and tops of buildings, preferably on the sunniest side of your house.

With regard to inhumane methods, involving the destruction of insects, the use of insecticides, which are sprayed or covered in holes, is practiced. The bee, penetrating into the nest, touches the poison with its abdomen. Also, boric acid and aerosol cleaner for carburetors, which are sprayed into the hole, will help against bees.

How to get rid of a bumblebee in the wall of the house, from under the roof, how to remove bumblebees in the country

Contents:

Bumblebees are useful and peaceful insects that do not harm humans and their homes. They are looking for a secluded place to create a hive. It happens that bumblebees fly into open windows and doors in the country, find a secluded place for themselves and make a nest. At night, a strong hum comes from the hive, which annoys people. That is why the question arises of how to get rid of bumblebees.

How to get rid of bumblebees in the wall of the house

Since it is impossible to kill a bumblebee one at a time, mass extermination measures must be taken.

Please note! Breeding bumblebees is best in the evening or at night, when they rest in the hive with the whole family.

How to get rid of bumblebees in the wall of the house, if there is no way to get close? Most often, an insect equips a dwelling in narrow slits. You can lure insects with a homemade trap from a plastic bottle. The neck is cut off and turned over with a narrow end deep into the bottle. A sweet liquid with a bright smell (jam or honey diluted with water) is bred in the trap. Bumblebees will fly in to eat, after which it is difficult for them to get out through a narrow neck. This method involves a long period of struggle.

How to get rid of bumblebees in the wall of the house

If you need to destroy the family urgently, then you can spray chemicals (for example, Karbofos). If the building is non-residential, or it is possible to spend the night elsewhere, then more aggressive preparations can be used, such as Troapsil, Dichlorvom or Mosquitol. After spraying, it is desirable to close all doors and windows, blocking the access of oxygen and isolating insects. If the location of the hive is precisely known, then the sprays are sprayed directly into the gap where the entrance is located. If it was not possible to accurately determine the location, then you need to make several spray points. The period of exposure to chemicals on the hive is up to 3 days. At the end of the term, the room must be ventilated, all insects must be removed, and the areas of their intended habitat should be washed. The cracks must be sealed by any construction method (foam, putty, etc.).

Interesting! Often summer residents buy Velcro for destruction, but this tool is ineffective, since getting rid of bumblebees in the wall of the house can only be done by radical methods. The most important thing is to get rid of the hive. Destruction of single individuals will not solve the problem.

Remove bumblebees from under the roof/floor

Destroy bumblebees under the floor by using liquid chemicals (Gett or Trapsiel) mixed with soapy water. The finished mixture is sticky in texture. They cover the floor with it, the insect tries to squeeze into the house, but instead it falls into a sticky poisonous substance and dies.

Breeding bumblebees

How to get bumblebees out from under the roof or in the attic, because this area is considered one of the most difficult to reach? In this case, destruction of the hive with boiling water is considered an effective way. Most often, such nests hang under the roof. You need to take a large pot or bucket (the diameter should be larger than the widest place at the hive). The water must be brought to a boil and immediately immerse the hive in a container. The edge of the bucket or pan should be pressed tightly against the ceiling. The disadvantage of this method is that you need to think about how to fix the container from below: with a ladder or a log, or with another structure, because the hive must be kept in this position for at least one day.

Note! The easiest way to get rid of bumblebees and not waste your time is to call a pest control service. Service workers have the necessary knowledge, skills and devices to quickly and painlessly rid the house of the invasion of insects.

How to remove a bumblebee from under the floor

How to remove a nest in the ground

The most popular habitat for bumblebees in a summer cottage is the earth, especially in former rodent burrows. The main thing is not to dig up the habitat, since it is useless to fight bumblebees mechanically. They regard any movement and touching of their home as aggression and danger. In this case, the attack of a flock of bumblebees cannot be avoided.

Bumblebee species

The easiest way to get rid of bumblebees in the soil. Here you can safely apply a cardinal method - pouring boiling water over the hole or burning the hive. Before the procedure, insects need to be distracted with sweet bait (honey, fermented jam). After that, the hive can be filled with boiling water. The hives consist of a very light material, dry in structure. The walls are filled with kerosene and a lit match is immediately thrown. The nest burns to the ground in seconds.

Important! Burn-in is the easiest, fastest and most effective method, but it is not at all suitable for indoor use.

How to remove a nest in the ground

What are bumblebees afraid of

How to get rid of hornets in the country

You can prevent the appearance of insects in the country if you consider what bumblebees are afraid of. Most often, bumblebee nests appear in secluded places, as bumblebees do not like open spaces. Therefore, the house, extensions and the site must be examined for the presence of various pits, holes, crevices and other nooks and crannies that are invisible to the eye. Bumblebees do not like activity, so you need to clean up as often as possible, rearrange things. Most insects are afraid of smoke. You can periodically fumigate the room and burn fires on the site. Also, bumblebees do not like loud noises. If the hive is located at home, then you can install speakers near it and turn on the music.

How to get rid of the violet carpenter bumblebee

Interesting! Very often tree bees are called bumblebees because of their resemblance. They have the same large, furry body with purple wings.

This type of insect, unlike bumblebees, causes damage to wooden buildings, using wood as a building material for their nests. In addition, woodpeckers feed on bee larvae, which also negatively affect wooden structures. In this case, the fight against insects is justified, but the procedure is more complicated, since it is not easy to remove the nest of carpenter bumblebees, because they do not live in flocks, but in pairs. Therefore, in fact, you have to destroy them one by one.

An effective tool against a carpenter is a pine trap. From the boards of any coniferous species, a box is made with a hole in the bottom. The neck of a plastic bottle filled with soapy water is inserted into this hole. In the box, make several moves for the bees. The trap is placed on the sunny side near the bee house. In about 10-15 days, you can exterminate all carpenter bumblebees. Soap solution during the entire period must be updated.

Among the proven folk methods, the following are highlighted:

Interesting! Quite often summer residents resort to the help of chemicals. Boric acid powder is poured into nests. Sometimes the nests are irrigated with a special solution. funds (Gett, Karbofos). The preparations act already in the second hour after application and do not lose their properties for 3-4 weeks.

Getting rid of bumblebees at home and in the garden is easy. The most important thing is to be careful so that bumblebees do not attack. After successfully getting rid of insects and destroying the hive, you need to remember about prevention so that the bumblebees do not return, because every year they build their houses anew.

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