Carpenter Bees - Pole barn outside roof framing ?

[Marctrees]

In installing a new PB w open to roof gable extension over outdoor area, my builder normally uses non treated standard trusses.

Is that typical ?


In our are we have Carp Bees and the trouble they bring... boring the wood, dive bombing, etc.

Anyone have experience w this ?

I suppose we may be able to have the trusses made of Treated wood, haven't asked the builder yet.

If it was a shed roof extension, I would spec treated.. but being a gable extension, I don't know if I can get trusses made from treated.

Marc

 

[pattenp]

Carpenter bees will bore into treated lumber. They don't eat the wood. They bore to lay eggs.

 

[KEH]

Google "carpenter bee traps" They seem to work, at east the ones I made late last year did.

KEH

 

[NUTTSGT]

If I found holes, I'd put some Sevin dust in them and caulk them shut.

 

[matt_i]

When I was framing I had a stick of plywood about 1-1/2" wide and maybe 30" long that I used to swat those buggers into oblivion. I missed a heck of a lot but they don't get spooked very easily and all it takes is one solid connection

Once its all sealed up they can try somewhere else!

I am not sure there's a pre-emptive treatment.

Might be good to get some type of ceiling up there. Bats birds and other critters can take up residence under an open roofed structure.

 

[ratdoggy]

When I was framing I had a stick of plywood about 1-1/2" wide and maybe 30" long that I used to swat those buggers into oblivion. I missed a heck of a lot but they don't get spooked very easily and all it takes is one solid connection

Once its all sealed up they can try somewhere else!

I am not sure there's a pre-emptive treatment.

Might be good to get some type of ceiling up there. Bats birds and other critters can take up residence under an open roofed structure.

I use a tennis racquet.....I'm easily amused

 

[Parrothead]

Paint. They hate fresh paint. Seriously. Google it. I’ve had them too, had to replace a bunch of cedar siding, foam board and batt insulation because of them. Then I painted the house. It’s been five years and they haven’t been back!

 

[whyNick?]

I use a tennis racquet.....I'm easily amused

Yep, it's a satisfying feeling when you really connect with one and send it into a low earth orbit. "Ping!!"

 

[southalabama]

Carpenter bees bore treated, non-treated, cypress. They don't seem to like paint.

Fill holes with Sevin and caulk holes as stated above.

Dad had to replace facia boards on second story of lake house because of bees. The woodpeckers shredded the facia hunting the bees.

We've now got bee traps and put a stain/treatment on the bare cypress.

 

[RGKSR]

You can also use steel wool in the holes.

I have a electric tennis racket that swats them with a sizzle.

 

[SouthLake]

Bee traps definitely help. Fresh stain, they will still drill into. They will also redrill caulk. You have to dust the holes, then caulk over steel wool.

The only way to rid yourself of this problem is plastic. Do it now so you’re not dealing with this for years to come. Bite the bullet and use composite fascia, trim and soffiting.

 

[Fyrme]

I have a friend that shoots them with .22 cal rat shot when they hover. Another fun fact, they don't sting and are not aggressive. Or so I have heard, but not willing to test the theory.

 

[bjcouche]

For exposed wood framing, like under an eve or a lean too, I would recommend closing it in and covering everything with pole building metal or similar...
I have lots of carpenter bees in my area, traps don't help because there are just too many in the neighboring woods... They bore through every type of wood, treated, untreated, cedar, AND painted wood. I have new holes through areas that had three coats of a good exterior paint. On parts of the house or shop that have vinyl or metal siding, they don't bore through that. However the vinyl and metal siding has J channel with small gaps that are EXTREMELY attractive for yellow jackets to make their nests between the siding and the sheeting behind it.
When I redo the siding I will be using hardi board or some other type of cement board. The carpenter bees don't seem to bore through that and there are no expansion gaps to attract yellow jackets. PVC trim and facia also works..
Brian

 

[Marctrees]

bjcouche - Well written post.

Thank you all.

Marc

 

[SouthLake]

If it’s wrapped, the yellow jackets will simply move in or the carpenter bees will just navigate around the metal and go inside near a corner. Composite is the only real solution.

 

[Marctrees]

South - Sure, composite faschia, trim etc.

But I'm talking about the framing.

So to take what you are saying, wood framing needs to be non accessible by design, foam closures, steel r panel, caulk, etc.... or something else.

Marc

 

[SouthLake]

You live the same life I do, you know thy enemy. Any exposed framing has got to be covered

 

[bjcouche]

To answer your question though, It is common in pole building construction, like on a lean to, to have exposed trusses on the underside. On my pole building, the lean to was built just that way per the original design. Walk under the lean to and you can see the trusses and underside of the metal roof. I have carpenter bees, birds, and squirrels up there. I plan on closing that in this year.
Also, I see all the time on those house flipping shows where houses have the trusses fully exposed on the exterior of the house under the eaves.. They just paint it, but to me it looks like the house was never finished, maybe it was done on older houses, or maybe it's a southern thing, I don't understand.

Remember, just because you CAN build it that way, or it meets code, doesn't mean that you SHOULD build it that way..

Brian

 

[Falcon67]

Yard Guard knocks out yellow jackets and leaves some reside. Also - FWIW - there is a post making the FB rounds that says taking 2~3 paper sandwich bags inside each other , blowing them up to look like a hornet nest and hanging in a area where the yellow jackets run will scare them off. I reserve judgement until we test it here. Wasps/yellow jackets are a normal summer bug but they scare the heck out of my wife and grand kids. I've been stung enough that I'll smash then bare handed.

 

[swampdog1950]

You have 2 bees. male and female, one has a white spot on its face they don`t sting and the other has a all black face and does sting.

 

[James E]

I have never known carpenter bees to go through paint unless it’s exceptionally thin. I don’t doubt that it’s happened, but around here, they hate enamel paint and also heavy, oil-based stains.

We had a window that a bee bored into. He got in under the sash and when I raised it up, there was a 1cm square of wood that was unpainted on the bottom of the sash. The bee had bored into it dead center.

 

[yeldogt]

I fill the holes with expanding foam -- they can do a lot of damage

 

[Marctrees]

So, my question is.... in your open ceiling porch roofs, whether Gable or Shed, how many of you guys spec'd treated, or just stayed w regular wood ?

And what would you do "next time" ?

Marc

 

[Jason280]

Another fun fact, they don't sting and are not aggressive. Or so I have heard, but not willing to test the theory.

They do something. I caught one once while wearing work gloves, and it proceeded to do something to me that hurt...caused me to quickly turn loose of the little ******* and off it flew. Whether is was a bite or a sting, I am not sure, but it has taught me to longer try to catch them.

My dad loves whacking them with a badminton racket, he will walk around for hours knocking them out of the air.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

So, my question is.... in your open ceiling porch roofs, whether Gable or Shed, how many of you guys spec'd treated, or just stayed w regular wood ?

And what would you do "next time" ?

Marc

I agree with the earlier posters that have noted carpenter bees will bore into treated wood. I've seen them do it...so if keeping carpenter bees at bay is the problem, treated lumber doesn't seem to be a solution.

Phil

 

[OneOfEm]

Get a suspension-based pesticide like Demon or Cyper WC, and spray your trusses well. When the water evaporates, the powder will be left behind. They land, they die. If they chew, they die faster.

 

[billspit]

They do something. I caught one once while wearing work gloves, and it proceeded to do something to me that hurt...caused me to quickly turn loose of the little ******* and off it flew. Whether is was a bite or a sting, I am not sure, but it has taught me to longer try to catch them.

My dad loves whacking them with a badminton racket, he will walk around for hours knocking them out of the air.

The female can sting. He males cannot sting. The males are the ones hovering around waiting to get a piece of tail.

 

[Marctrees]

Thanks all for your help, read all posts carefully.

Marc