ratdoggy
Well-known member
It's our go to tool for mopping up after the bees get a chemical bath
Carpenter Bees - Help
- Thread starter LSU
- Start date
It's our go to tool for mopping up after the bees get a chemical bath
In this area, the carpenter bees come out in the spring and by this time of year they have done their thing and I guess are in their nest. Supposedly they will come out for another round later in the summer. I built a couple of traps but it was too late to get many bees.
I looked for a link with plans for the one I made, with modifications, but didn't find it. Any, I made it from solid wood. I happened to have some red cedar 5 x 5 post I had sawed and one had bad places in part of it so I didn't use it, leaving it lying in the open for a couple of years. The bees had bored in it. I sawed off some good piees about 6 inches long, cutting one end at a 45 degree angle to have a sloping "roof." I drilled a 7/8 center hole 4 or so inches deep from the bottom. I drilled 1/2 inch holes in each of the 4 sides starting near the bottom. These holes were drilled at a 45 degree angle to intersect the 7/8 hole. I enlarged the bottom 1/2 inch or so of the 7/8 hole big enough to hold the lid of a plastic drink bottle, then drilled a 7/8 inch hole in the lid, carefully. I then glued the lid in place. Theory of operation is that the bees go up the 1/2 inch holes and fall down into the plastic bottles. The bottle can be emptied of dead bees or have another lid put on and the bottle and dead bees tossed. I only caught a couple of bees for the above reasons. I bought hooks with screw threads on them and screwed them into the top and hung them up. There are instructions on the net for using 4 x 4s with metal jar lids mounted on the bottom for using glass jars to hold the bees.
KEH
I looked for a link with plans for the one I made, with modifications, but didn't find it. Any, I made it from solid wood. I happened to have some red cedar 5 x 5 post I had sawed and one had bad places in part of it so I didn't use it, leaving it lying in the open for a couple of years. The bees had bored in it. I sawed off some good piees about 6 inches long, cutting one end at a 45 degree angle to have a sloping "roof." I drilled a 7/8 center hole 4 or so inches deep from the bottom. I drilled 1/2 inch holes in each of the 4 sides starting near the bottom. These holes were drilled at a 45 degree angle to intersect the 7/8 hole. I enlarged the bottom 1/2 inch or so of the 7/8 hole big enough to hold the lid of a plastic drink bottle, then drilled a 7/8 inch hole in the lid, carefully. I then glued the lid in place. Theory of operation is that the bees go up the 1/2 inch holes and fall down into the plastic bottles. The bottle can be emptied of dead bees or have another lid put on and the bottle and dead bees tossed. I only caught a couple of bees for the above reasons. I bought hooks with screw threads on them and screwed them into the top and hung them up. There are instructions on the net for using 4 x 4s with metal jar lids mounted on the bottom for using glass jars to hold the bees.
KEH
Dragfluid
ALLIANCE MEMBER
For your situation, this may be more effective.
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Dick in Wisconsin
Well-known member
Lovely. I was hoping we were far enough north that we didn't have to worry about them. We have problems with wasps or hornets, but eventually I can see their "nests" which get hit with various SC Johnson products what are very effective. The nests then get pulled or knocked down, more Johnson products, and finally are crushed. Sometimes we burn them if the neighbors have a fire.
Like all these things, getting to the queen is key.
Do these kinds things have any redeeming value to honey bees and bumble bees which help pollinate plants, crops, and flowers?
CN Spots
Well-known member
Believe me, I've emptied more cans of flaming starter fluid on wasps and yellow jackets than I can count. It provides immediate results and great entertainment but is not recommended for dry, wooden structures.
RegeSullivan
Well-known member
About 25 years ago I built a deck that was getting eaten up by those little bastards and we were going broke trying to kill them over a couple of years. My father in-law told me I was wasting my money and time with pesticides. His solution was to use paint, an oil base stain or oil base water repellent. He explained that the bees are looking for bare wood and did not recognize it as wood with any kind of barrier on it. I did notice they were not touching the 5/4 decking that had a sealer on it. He also pointed out they never start in end grain but did not know why and that water based treatments would sink in but oil based treatments formed a barrier. He worked for Coppers back when they were developing treated lumber and had a deck (porch) built from some of the original retail version a product Coppers provided the chemicals for.
Anyway... with much reluctance and skepticism, I used a garden sprayer to spray the entire deck and exposed roof with Olympic Oil base sealer. We never had another bee drill in to that deck. A few years after that I had the same experience at our camp. The oil based sealer worked again. Both decks are still standing Recently my brother in-law built a deck at his camp and the bees are tunneling a condominium in that one. He doesn't believe the barrier theory "yet". I just hope he comes around faster than I did.
Anyway... with much reluctance and skepticism, I used a garden sprayer to spray the entire deck and exposed roof with Olympic Oil base sealer. We never had another bee drill in to that deck. A few years after that I had the same experience at our camp. The oil based sealer worked again. Both decks are still standing Recently my brother in-law built a deck at his camp and the bees are tunneling a condominium in that one. He doesn't believe the barrier theory "yet". I just hope he comes around faster than I did.
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aka Larry
Well-known member
We had the bastards eat up the PT chairs we had on our front porch.
I want to know who mis-named these things? Carpenters build stuff right? Shouldn't they be called Lumberjacks or something?
I want to know who mis-named these things? Carpenters build stuff right? Shouldn't they be called Lumberjacks or something?
Hmmm, now that you mention it ...
Drill various holes in wood and pretty much ruin it?
That means they should be called plumber bees, right?
One of my kids recently asked me why I was drilling holes in the wooden fence gate. I said I wasn't.
Kid insisted I must be going and drilling those holes, because they were so uniform and round. He didn't believe me when I said it was carpenter bees making the holes and that I had plenty of chores and enough stuff to fix and do without sneaking out at 2AM and drilling random 1/2" diameter holes in the wooden gate 'framework'.RegeSullivan
Well-known member
Hmmm, now that you mention it ...
Drill various holes in wood and pretty much ruin it?
That means they should be called plumber bees, right?
.
You had me on the floor with that one but I can see you are not that familiar with the plumbing trade. Coming from a family of many plumbers I can tell you the weapon of choice against structural wood is the (Milwaukee) Sawzall or what is know today generically as the reciprocating saw.
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Hmmm, now that you mention it ...
Drill various holes in wood and pretty much ruin it?
That means they should be called plumber bees, right?
Oh, that's rough plumbing.
Finish plumbing uses the drills and not the destructo saw.
Xtreme mobile blasting
New member
- Joined
- May 19, 2015
- Messages
- 4
I highly recommend WD-40. Kills them almost instantly. Just spray it in the holes and they will back out and die. I've kill a bunch of the on and around my kids swing set.
Evilunclegrimace
Well-known member
So how did this thing come about:
If I see something that size flying around my garage I will be getting the shot gun out!!
Dragfluid
ALLIANCE MEMBER
If I see something that size flying around my garage I will be getting the shot gun out!!
You mean that's the real thing?
Jumping Jesus on a pogo stick!
CN Spots
Well-known member
Japanese giant hornet. Google it if you like nightmares.
I've heard their sting can cause the damaged area to rot off. Fun stuff.
I've heard their sting can cause the damaged area to rot off. Fun stuff.
rlitman
Well-known member
If I see something that size flying around my garage I will be getting the shot gun out!!
I'd suggest a flamethrower at a minimum, but preferably a tank if you can get your hands on one. Nothing special like an Abrams. Really, just about any tank'll do.
Indeed.
Yeah, they're the stuff nightmares are made of. Thankfully they're not in my area.
tomstin
Well-known member
WD40 in the hole works for me.
Evilunclegrimace
Well-known member
aka Larry
Well-known member
My Old Tools
Well-known member
Dusting the surfaces with boric acid (roach powder) is pretty effective.
I have had carpenter bee problem for few years and just got worse each year. I gave in and hired Cooper Pest Solutions after consulting them on my problem. They came to house and inspected situation. They quoted me $244 dollars and would guaranty for one year that now carpenter bees would not return in the treated area. If they returned they would come back and service area again for free. Been 1 month and I have not seen any carpenter bees at the house
https://www.cooperpest.com/
https://www.cooperpest.com/