Carpenter Bees!

[Fenway]

All right guys. Lets get back on track. The problem is they are hiding under neath the boards where there is space between the siding and the wood. It's impossible to get at them. There is no way for me to plug anything up with out removing these boards.

What do I do about this. The house is about 11-12 years old and I have lived here for 4 years. They are always here this time of year and it just seems to be getting worse.

 

[Fenway]

Control

Carpenter bees prefer to attack wood which is bare, weathered and unpainted. Therefore, the best way to deter the bees is to paint all exposed wood surfaces, especially those which have a history of being attacked. Wood stains and preservatives are less reliable than painting, but will provide some degree of repellancy versus bare wood. To further discourage nesting, garages and outbuildings should be kept closed when carpenter bees are actively searching for nesting sites.

Liquid sprays of carbaryl (Sevin), chlorpyrifos (Dursban), or a synthetic pyrethroid (e.g., permethrin or cyfluthrin) can be applied as a preventive to wood surfaces which are attracting bees. Residual effectiveness of these insecticides is often only 1-2 weeks, however, and the treatment may need to be repeated. Tunnels which have already been excavated are best treated by puffing an insecticidal dust (e.g., 5 percent carbaryl) into the nest opening. Aerosol sprays labeled for wasp or bee control also are effective. Leave the hole open for a few days after treatment to allow the bees to contact and distribute the insecticide throughout the nest galleries. Then plug the entrance hole with a piece of wooden dowel coated with carpenter's glue, or wood putty. This will protect against future utilization of the old nesting tunnels and reduce the chances of wood decay.

Although carpenter bees are less aggressive than wasps, female bees provisioning their nests will sting. Treatment is best performed at night when the bees are less active, or while wearing protective clothing.

 

[rhino]

I've been kicking their asses with my tennis racquet but there are too many of them. I also spray them with wasp and hornet killer but these are tough suckers. Big and they don't die easy.

I assume you've noticed that hornet/wasp spray has little effect on them. I tried it last year on a bunch of them, and I think the only bees I was able to put down fell because they were choking on fluid. I don't think there is significant toxicity in that species.

Wasps and hornets, on the other hand, go down like pole-axed steers when you hit them with that stuff,

I'm not sure what insecticide would work on those suckers.

On the bright side, their aggression toward humans is almost nonexistent (aside from eating your wood).

 

[pmpmstrb]

Control

Carpenter bees prefer to attack wood which is bare, weathered and unpainted. Therefore, the best way to deter the bees is to paint all exposed wood surfaces, especially those which have a history of being attacked. Wood stains and preservatives are less reliable than painting, but will provide some degree of repellancy versus bare wood. To further discourage nesting, garages and outbuildings should be kept closed when carpenter bees are actively searching for nesting sites.

Liquid sprays of carbaryl (Sevin), chlorpyrifos (Dursban), or a synthetic pyrethroid (e.g., permethrin or cyfluthrin) can be applied as a preventive to wood surfaces which are attracting bees. Residual effectiveness of these insecticides is often only 1-2 weeks, however, and the treatment may need to be repeated. Tunnels which have already been excavated are best treated by puffing an insecticidal dust (e.g., 5 percent carbaryl) into the nest opening. Aerosol sprays labeled for wasp or bee control also are effective. Leave the hole open for a few days after treatment to allow the bees to contact and distribute the insecticide throughout the nest galleries. Then plug the entrance hole with a piece of wooden dowel coated with carpenter's glue, or wood putty. This will protect against future utilization of the old nesting tunnels and reduce the chances of wood decay.

Although carpenter bees are less aggressive than wasps, female bees provisioning their nests will sting. Treatment is best performed at night when the bees are less active, or while wearing protective clothing.

Not sure who wrote this, but we see them eat through painted wood all the time. As a matter of fact, where we are now every hole is on the face of a gutter board or behind a downspout. Both have numerous coats of paint on them. Wasp spray doesn't work at all. What I have is a white powder that you puff into the hole. I believe it was given to us by an insect guy because he got tired of coming out to kill the bees and just told us to do it ourselves and gave it to us. Whoever said they don' sting is also 100% correct. They bite you, chew a hole, and burrow through your skin. Ouch.

 

[Ri22o]

I'm still wondering about the mention of a buffet...

 

[Scutter01]

I'm still wondering about the mention of a buffet...

The Journey (seafood and asian food buffet) in Fishers at 11:30.

 

[Ri22o]

The Journey (seafood and asian food buffet) in Fishers at 11:30.

Interesting...

 

[Pami]

For clarification...

the buffet idea came out of this thread...

Sex and the City

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Flamethrower?

Nevermind.

 

[Fenway]

Exactly. The spray is a waste.

I assume you've noticed that hornet/wasp spray has little effect on them. I tried it last year on a bunch of them, and I think the only bees I was able to put down fell because they were choking on fluid. I don't think there is significant toxicity in that species.

 

[Don]

Try carb cleaner or brake clean on them. I know it has knocked MANY insects right out of the air for me.

 

[Lars]

Honestly Fenway, I think you're going to end up calling a professional since it's under the siding. I don't know of any good way to treat the wood under the siding without removing it. At least with the gear available for people like us to purchase off the shelf.

 

[Fenway]

This is where they live

 

[Disposable Heart]

Take the 50s sci-fi movie approach to insects! Scud your house! The only way to be sure!

Sucks about those little jerks though. I would definitly call a professional seriously, as those little bastards can be deeper than what one would think. We had them at my old house and they ate completely through a wall.

 

[Roscoe38]

not knowing this thread existed, my dumb for not searching, I started a new thread. My little bees just appeared two to three weeks ago, after reading this I suppose I'll just call Orkin..

Any other suggestions.....

 

[bwframe]

not knowing this thread existed, my dumb for not searching, I started a new thread. My little bees just appeared two to three weeks ago, after reading this I suppose I'll just call Orkin..

Any other suggestions.....

I shoot them with the airsoft.

 

[CathyInBlue]

Just bite the bullet, strip the fascia siding off, strip the facia boards off, replace them when synthetic boards like Trex, replace original siding, never deal with carbenter bees in those boards again in life.

 

[Hop]

^ ha, you would think so but I have Hardy Plank. It's a concrete based siding "board" and they chewed right through it on my front porch.

I just killed a swarm in the barn right next to my lawn mower (they stung my wife when she got the mower out) & now have another swarm chewing up under my hot tub. I've drained the water and will need to pull the tub out of the frame to get at the little bastards!!!

 

[comanche]

I had the exact same problem. We have cedar and after they have been there the woodpeckers will drill to get at them...
what I did was soak cotton balls in insecticide undiluted, shove in the holes and then caulk. I then painted the house since
it never was painted but stained. This year I had a few more holes (through the paint) and quickly I just caulked the holes.
I squirted enough until I heard them buzzing. Then waited a couple of hours and repainted. I have NEVER had one chew
through the caulking. ***WINNING****

 

[Caleb]

not knowing this thread existed, my dumb for not searching, I started a new thread. My little bees just appeared two to three weeks ago, after reading this I suppose I'll just call Orkin..

Any other suggestions.....

holy batman thread revival....


Fenway, you still have bee problems four years later?